An Incomplete History of U.S. Indigenous Peoples
Although this book purports to be a history, much of documented Native American history is absent from her diatribe. This book is more akin to a memoir than a history, as the author is herself Native American, and frequently speaks from her own experience. It is an angry book written by an equally angry author. Be warned that it is subjective and much of it speculative. The assertions may be true but Dunbar-Ortiz doesn't worry about supporting many of her contentions with facts. However, if you are looking for a complete history of the Native Americans in the United States, look elsewhere, because you won't find it here. Almost entirely absent are the earlier histories and encounters by indigenous tribes of British colonial conflict and subjugation in the 1600s into the mid-1700s, of the Eastern Woodlands. So, there is no mention of the Montauks, Pequots, Lenni-Lenape, and only brief mention of the Delaware for a brief period in the Revolutionary War period, which is pretty late in their habitation. There is also no mention of the Mandan, or any contributions by Elizabeth Fenn. There is, however, substantial coverage of the Central American tribes and Mexico, which are not part of the United States, despite the book's title and apparent purpose. Dunbar-Ortiz does provide more coverage of modern Native American issues and encounters, along with assertions that are seemingly personal about the transgressions of the European inhabitants, but again, many of these are without any documented support. They do fill the imagination with possibility, but that is not history. However, if you are looking for a complete history of the Native Americans in the United States, this will not provide it. Even the pre-European accounts of indigenous populations appear to be speculations about what was believed to have happened without backing, or is now a tradition that has been extended well into the past, without any documentary support. At best, this book is very disappointing. Purchase it if you want modern political insight into speculations about what happened in the past. Ironically, it has fairly extensive Notes, Works Cited and Index sections to continue your research, so that may provide some value to interested readers or researchers. Just don't be surprised or disappointed when you are searching for historical coverage that you cannot find, which will undoubtedly happen. It is woefully incomplete. I have warned you.
