This book provides us with a fascinating history of the rise, fall and re-emergence of the great buffalo. A must for history buffs.

This book reads mournfully at times. Author's summation of the buffalo conflict in the west reads like a description of Northern Ireland or Palestine. Much of this book considers bison through observations of persons living intimately with them or their idea. There are as many passages relating what native americans and government officials have to say about bison as there are passages describing the author's direct contact with the animals. In short, this is a book more about "buffalo people" rather than an account of observations of nature. I found this approach informative but perhaps a bit dry. Important pieces missing from the author's buffalo book are words from ranchers. One might get the sense from the book that ranchers are all of the same fear-driven mind. I doubt that this is the case but if it is I'd like to read it.

William Graebner does an excellent job in detailing the lifestyles of teenagers growing up in post World War II Buffalo and their interactions with what he calls the "dominant culture" (adults).

Graebner's points are simple. The first is that there was no single "youth culture" made up of these teens but rather a culture made up of a number of "subcultures." The second point, and most dominant, is that adults tried to exercise controls over the emerging youth through methods of social engineering.

Graebner looks at various aspects of teen life - music, clothing, membership in clubs and organizations - and illustrates how each of these was a common thread to all teenagers but that each subculture (race, class, gender, etc.) experienced them differently. He further shows the methods by which adults attempted to control these factors for fear of juvenile delinquency and their own fear of racial integration. Graebner clearly shows that these controls actually caused more bad than good and were actually a precursor to the Civil Rights issues of the 1960's.

Finally, Graebner's book is rich with photos enhancing the reader's experience by allowing him or her to actually see the people and places of this era. It truly adds to the overall experience of the book and makes it all the more real.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in youth culture or even interested about the history or sociology of the time itself.

Any collector of coins should have this book in their library. It is detailed and informative. The writers knowledge of the subject is obvious throughout the text.

This is a book that honestly tells the story of the lives of the Miccosukee Indians who live with the disasters wreaked upon their homeland by the encroachment of the White Man's "civilization." Buffalo Tiger is a full blooded native of the Everglades, born on an island in the real glades. He operates a tour business taking visitors into the glades to see the real environment. It tells of the environmental problems that have driven many of the natives to abandon their homes and move even as far as Miami. It also describes beautifully, the glories of this unique environment and the attempts of the adults in the tribe to keep their culture alive as their children are lured into the TV culture. It is a great book for both environmental education and for teaching about cultural diversity. Beautifully illustrated with color photographs taken by the author.

I am very disappointed to see that this book is out of print. I borrowed it a couple of years ago from my local library and have been looking for my own copy ever since. It is a highly enjoyable romance, with realistic and likeable characters. The story involves a young woman returning to her family farm (ranch?) in the American West after becoming jaded with city life. It provides light and escapist reading, without being sugary or silly.

Mr. Smith has humanized the plight of the "buffalo soldier" after the Civil War without showing bitterness. The main character, Johnny Buffalo, shows many emotions; desperation, patriotism, loyalty, hatred and love. He is a believable person and you find yourself empathizing with him, no matter what your own race or background. The plot moves swiftly without bogging down. Some descriptions may be a too gory for the faint-hearted but descriptive they are! I would order Mr. Smith's next book, based on this one.

THIS BOOK IS JUST WHAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. IT'S THE START OF MY GREAT QUEST.

This is a first-hand account of how a newly observant young Chasidic teacher ended up teaching learning-disabled youngsters in an inner city school (a "tough neighborhood") and succeeded in becoming their teacher and friend. Written candidly and with a lively sense of humor, this is a heartening read.

I am very disappointed with this "book". And I use the term "book" loosely, it is really nothing more than one big commercial for her workshops.

There are people who think that the only way to practice Native American (or any indigenous) spirituality is the traditional way. According to them, Creator and the spirits only listen when they are addressed via rituals established within a tribe-specific context and transmitted unchanged through time. These people will not appreciate Brooke's book (forgetting all the while that most "traditional" Native practices are actually rather recent, at most a couple of hundred yrs old).

What Medicine Eagle is trying to do here is present her experiences and conclusions about the nature of reality and the spirit world. These conclusions are often tentative and one often gets a feeling that her work is still very much in progress. In any case, one can be virtually certain that anyone who writes books about Native American spirituality is either a sincere beginner (who still harbors the illusion that talking about it can be useful) or a shameless exploiter of naive audiences, or both. This book belongs somewhere in between naivete and exploitation. The first part, which deals with her vision quests, is interesting. The second part is a plug for her workshops and is boring.

One chapter I liked was the one on Moshe Feldenkreis. The Westerner tends to be disconnected from his/her body and any spiritual work done under such circumstances can be fruitless or positively dangereous (spirits talk to us through the body and if we are not conscious of the talk, they will tweak the subconscious mind in ways we might not appreciate). Feldenkreis was a true expert in bodymind integration and a combination of his teachings with those of indigenous traditions is a great thing.

Creator has created all of us equal and what (s)he cares about is not the tribe one might belong to but the sincerity of our prayers and a dedication to "save all beings" because all of them are our relations. Spirit has many ways of seeping into our body and expanding our awareness of interconnectedness. Brooke, in this book, shows us her own path towards such awareness. It seems to work for her and maybe it will work for others, too.

Brooke Medicine Eagle is one of the few native medicine teachers that have not been forced by threats of violence to stop teaching non-native peoples. She has consistently through the years been a voice of the rainbow way - joining all peoples together in the celebration and love of Mother Earth. This remarkable book tells of her journey, her visionary call to her work, the long years of training that occurred before she began to teach, and offers many techniques she has found useful in helping promote personal balance on the Earth path. Brooke is one of the remarkable voices of our time - this book offers her voice clear and unfettered. The voice of a contemporary Earth mystic who has been trained in both traditional Native and contemporary healing paths. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.