This is by far the most comprehensible work on DeSoto that I've read to date. It fully brings to life the stuggles of the expedition, as well as the depridations done to the indeginous peoples of the Southeast. It reads much like a novel, bringing to life several key participates, both Spainards, and natives alike. This book is a masterpiece, decades in the making, wonderfully researched, and written. If the early exploration of the Southeast is of intrest to you, then this is a must own book.

I bought this book on a whim, but ... wow ... what a journey. Hudson has been intimately involved in combing through the journals and reports of the De Soto expedition, cross-referencing the reports with examinations of the geography of the areas covered and archeological/anthropological studies of the 16th century inhabitants of the region.

Hudson's approach to the expedition is interesting. He is a partisan arguing in favor of the route he delineates for the expedition, but he lays out the journey in a fairly straightforward manner that is very engaging. The Afterward, however, gives a quick rundown of the differences in opinion over the route, the still-unfolding evidence to support Hudson's claims, and what remains to be proven.

All it all, it is a vivid retelling of the first planned European expedition into southeastern North America, which was quite a different place than when much of it was colonized by Europeans a century later. The native cultures were near the end of the moundbuilding Mississippian culture, and Hudson notes how the disruptions of De Soto and his men may have contributed to the eventual changes in native society.

Fascinating.

This book uses journal entries from those who traveled with De Soto to recreate the Spaniards trek through the eastern United States. The book documents everything from the ordinary - such as the number of pigs the Spaniards had to the number of Indians encountered - to detailed and horrific accounts of the brutality the Spaniards exacted on those tribes who did not welcome them with open arms. This book provides a rare look at what life was like for those native to the Southeast on the cusp of great change. A bit sad but a fascinating read, especially if you are interested in gleaning details of pre-contact life for the Southeastern tribes.

Kit Fox visits a horse her tribe took from the snake indians(their enemy) in the mornings before everyone's awake. When she is found out she isnt allowed to visit the horse again. Then, when their enemy threatens to ambush her tribe, Kit Fox must race against time to get help.

Kit, a young Blackfoot girl, feels like she can't do anything because of the social taboos the tribe has for young women. When warriors bring back a horse, the first of its kind the tribe has ever had, driven by her curiosity she secretly visits the horse with the help of her friend and eventually learns how to ride it. Caught in the act she is banned from visiting the horse much less riding it. But when the tribe is in danger it is up to her to ride for help and defy all the rules.

Frank Gohlke captures the landscape of mid-America like no other photographer has! You can see deep into the soul of farmland by looking at his photographs, which were taken with a large format camera.

I did a lot of research about the American grain elevator. It was hard to come up with information that discussed aspects other than dust explosions and engineering. If you want to know about other aspects of the grain elevator, I would recomend this book. It also has great photographs!

This is a derivative work which is most enjoyable if one has a tiny bit of knowledge about De Soto. For budding De Soto enthusiasts, Looking For De Soto is a must read.

Joyce Rockwood Hudson has written a lively and entertaining account of a six-week vacation she and her husband took in November-December 1984 where they followed the sixteenth century explorer De Soto's trail through the southeastern United States.

You have to love people who shun the cruise ships and Disneyworld and Madison Avenue in order to tromp around in the mud of backwater swamps while on vacation.

One might reasonably ask, who is this lady, and why should we care? She is the wife of noted anthropology professor Charles Hudson, and we should care because Professor Hudson has set forth an alternative route for the De Soto expedition, differing in important ways from the route as determined by the Swanton Commission (published by Smithsonian Press, 1939).

The issue has not been settled - that of De Soto's precise route - but Professor Hudson's theories are interesting and taken seriously by academia as well as people such as myself who enjoy visiting historic places.

If you are lost, don't feel alone. So are the Hudsons. That's the point. No one really knows where De Soto went, exactly, but the author ignites interest. She also describes in an engaging way a portion of the field work conducted while on "vacation", adding weight to Professor Hudson's theories.

And remember, folks, this is only one theory of many. That's most of the fun. Those of us who consider ourselves southerners can relate. It is sort of like arguing whether Alabama's football team is number one, or Georgia's or Florida's...

Only this stuff happened four hundred and fifty years ago, and the debate rages.

These Conquistador fellows didn't ask for directions, they just snatched the first native American that came along and clapped him in chains if he didn't speak right up.

Mrs. Hudson keeps you moving right along, with interesting detours about pecans, zinc mining, salt making, etc. She writes clearly, has a keen eye for the absurd, and knows how to deliver a punch line. I'm still laughing over the French colonial town of Smackover. I would also imagine that if you poke too many holes in her husband's theories, she might chew off your ear. A stand up lady.

One or two fly specks in the book. A map comparing Hudson and Swanton routes would have helped enormously. You'll find yourself sorting through the Atlas and a dusty copy of the Swanton report. The author also fails to mention the name of a good rib place in Memphis. Unconscionable. The Afterword updates the reader on happenings through 1992, when the book was published.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I wish De Soto would have had someone like Joyce Rockwood Hudson along. Even epic tales of death, disease, despair, and war require the female touch.

This book is a must read for any resident of North Brevard County. It is a fascinating study through words and pictures. Having resided in Titusville, FL for nearly 25 years, I can appreciate the many changes which resulted in the progress we see today. This book satisfied my curiosity about the history of this unique community. Also, there are some interesting references to the founding fathers, such as Colonel Henry Titus and Britton J. Mims who was a cousin to the outlaw Jesse James. It is also noteworthy that many of the original settlers in Lagrange and Sand Point have descendants still residing in the same area as their ancestors.Overall, this book was very well written and organized. It is definitely a worthwhile investment for the history buff and curiosity seeker alike.

The Transformation Of The Southeastern Indians 1540-1760 edited by Robbie Ethridge (Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Southern Studies, University of Mississippi) and Charles Hudson (Franklin Professor of Anthropology and History, University of Georgia) is an impressive and wide-ranging selection of contemporary essays presenting and showcasing the latest discoveries and interpretations of how the Native Americans of the Southeast once lived, and their interactions with settlers prior to the establishment of The United States of America. A scholarly, seminal text featuring work by a diverse collection of learned authors, The Transformation Of The Southeastern Indians 1540-1760 is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to Native American Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Mr. Hagerty certainly does know his topic! I have thoroughly enjoyed every page of this book.

I am getting ready for a South Dakota vacation by reading some books about and set in the region. This novel is about farmers during the dust bowl years leading up to the depression. It gives good insight into their tough life. The characters are well drawn and interesting. At first you don't like George, the main character. But by the end you can't help but sympathize with him. His daughter, Lucy, is the most interesting character. His wife and his wife's parents are the other main characters. Well worth the read.

For years, it seemed, I'd hear bits & pieces about a book entitled "The Bones of Plenty": how great it was, how its story, about bleak farming life on the harsh plains of North Dakota during the Great Depression, rivaled even Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath". But I knew, of course, that connoisseurs of fine literature, in possession of their full faculties, would respond to such a claim with a vitriolic & sarcastic "okay, sure". Well, I, oddly enough, discovered this weighty piece of work, penned by Lois Hudson, published 1962, not for casual reading but as research material. Its story's geography and flavor, you see, was to quench my thirst for much-needed data for my own next novel.

I scanned editorial reviews of Hudson's "Bones" on the Internet, and saw, to my surprise, that a few critics did indeed rank it with "Grapes". I, of course, remained skeptical. Now, having read "The Bones of Plenty", I must agree: It is rugged & truthful, hopeless & brutal. It is magnificent in every way.

Is "Bones" the absolute equal of "Grapes"? Perhaps not, perhaps due to its safe distance of time from the Depression Era; an era that Steinbeck's words, in real time, painted so artfully. Perhaps since North Dakota doesn't hold the Hollywood charm for film as did Steinbeck's golden California, and, just maybe, because readers suspected Hudson no doubt drew inspiration from Steinbeck, & not vice-versa, "The Bones" could not quite climb that "Grapeful" platitude. Who knows? But it DOES rank. READ IT! It is amongst the rarest & best works of fine literature. And, dare I admit this? IT HAS BROKEN INTO MY TOP 10! As an avid reader myself of classics, I was at first stunned by how The Bones so quickly took its rightful place alongside The Old Man, Eden, Mockingbird, Fountainhead, Deliverance, King's Men, Lonesome Dove, etc., on my very exclusive list; hallowed ground, stingily reserved.

So I re-read Modern Library's 100 Greatest 20th Century Novels and similar published rankings, certain I'd find my "Bones" comfortably amongst the elite. But nothing. "Bones" made not one list! Hmmm...where & why were "The Bones" buried? Why Hudson - a great writer's ghostwriter - lack of notoriety? Was Hudson's beautiful "Bones" buried in the early-60's avalanche of Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird? Joseph Heller's Catch 22?: great books both, and both, like The Bones of Plenty, notched in my personal Top 20. Perhaps we'll never know. I suspect North Dakota's writers receive about as much respect & fanfare as does the humble state from which they come.

So my hat's off to Lois P. Hudson; a woman whose politics, I've gathered, could not be more distant from my own conservative views. (I was not pleased by her recent comments on GWB!) But, politics aside, it is my testimony to say that readers of fine works are a little less blessed for not having unearthed & wept over Lois' "Bones". I suggest they grab a shovel. The literary world owes her a belated thanks for this glorious book. Thank you, Lois. Greg Ryan

As a farmer of 20 years myself, Lois Hudson has touched a nerve with her novel. The roller-coaster of emotions and vivid descriptions she gives of agriculture in the Dakotas are suprisingly true to this day. The sense of pride for an honest way of life, the anger springing from the lack of control over events, people, weather and markets,and the ultimate indifference to the farmers existence displayed by urban populace stings like salt in a wound. I only wish that more Americans would read and experience this wonderful novel. Perhaps they would better understand the small minority that works to feed them.

We had to read 4 books for English, one of my choices was SWEETGRASS! When my teacher explained it to my class she said there was just enough romance for the girls and enough action for the guys! I recommend this book to everyone!!!

Sweetgrass, a phenomenal book, by Jan Hudson is a suspenseful and informative book. Sweetgrass, a Native American teenager, describes her everyday life in such a way that you learn a lot about Native American lifestyle. All through the book, Sweetgrass experiences difficulties, which she deals with in different ways. When Sweetgrass's mother falls into a depression over her dead baby, Sweetgrass has to "grow up" and become the new mother in a matter of hours. While acting as "mother", the disease, smallpox hits her tribe and Sweetgrass has to help those with smallpox, while caring for the rest of her family and proving to her father that she is mature enough to marry.

I recommend this book because it teaches you a lot about Native American culture and because it is very exciting! Sweetgrass tells about her everyday life, so it is easy to learn about life as a Native American teenager. I hadn't known that Native American men usually had more than one wife. The book also taught me that young girls were usually married to men, almost twice their age. The book was suspenseful, because while Sweetgrass's mother is in a depression, her brother catches the disease smallpox, and Sweetgrass is forced to take over the household. Sweetgrass also has to find ways to prove to her father that she is mature enough to become a wife. These are just two of the many aspects of the book any reader can take away from this book! Though I thoroughly enjoyed the book, others might not because it is slow to start. The book is slow to start which makes reading the beginning difficult to enjoy. Even thought the book takes a while to get going, the information you learn and the agony you feel for Sweetgrass makes it a wonderful book! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel that it would be a great read for anyone!

This book is sooooooooo good! It says that it is for childern from ages 10-12 but I am 13 and I think that it was great! If you love Native Americans this is a book for you!

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure that I would want to continue with it. It took a while to get into some of the detail regarding Indian culture. I guess I was expecting mind candy and actually found meat and potatoes! As the previous reviewer said, this is definitely not a quick read, at least not at first, but please stick with it. It is so touching without being cheap. I feel like I got a double bonus- an detailed look into Indian life and lore plus a romantic historical story. What I think I loved the most about this is that there was no doubt at all that what you witnessed between Carlos and Lucia was true love, a love that stayed with them during the long time they were apart. Unfortunately, even though you find that love conquers all, sometimes life happens, and the results turned out to be so sad. It was also so disturbing to know that the encounters that the Indians had with the English were all too accurate. It was definitely worth taking your time and savoring this book. This was indeed a quality labor of love.

Apalachee is a story taking place from 1704 - 1716 in the area of Florida and the Carolinas. Lucia is an Apalachee Indian, granddaughter of Isabel, the White Sun Woman of her clan. This story is full of the rich history of a time not well known about. There is romance between Lucia and Carlos, as well as Charity and Isaac. This is a tale of two families bound together by Lucia and her struggle to survive in her world which is being forced to follow Christianity as well as her struggle to survive once she is taken as a slave and ends up in Charity's household. How will Lucia continue to serve as the White Sun Woman while living in a so called civilized world. Will Lucia find a way to return to Carlos? Isaac is green to the ways of the new world. He falls in love with Charity but it is not to be, as her father wishes to solidify the families fortune by having her marry her cousin, Henry, whom Charity fears. The richness of the story transports you to a long ago time. It was not a fast read, sometimes slow, but I found that fit the timeframe of the story. It was a good visit to a time I did not know much about.

Apalachee will be remembered as a riveting story of historical fiction, with a love story rivaling the talents of Lamour and a colorful description of everyday life and faith for our native people reminiscent of the Gears. The relationship between the natives, the Spanish, the English and the French brings an exciting setting to a complicated and exhillarating story. The sympathy between the natives and the Africans brings recognition to a common bond of injustice. Overall an excellent plot and character development that ensures I'll be reading Hudson again.