Great introduction to uncovered topic of interest.
This book was placed in the juvenile section of the library and so it fits there well. It is a great introduction for those interested in what contributions the Native Americans have given world civilization. The author's never ending thesis states that the discovery of the Americas by the European explorers was successful only because the Native Americans were present to aid them along their way. The many contributions stem from America's democracy, rubber balls of sports, names of places such as 26 out of the 50 states, medicines such as ipecac, foods such as maize or potatoes and various inventions such as how to cultivate these and many other foods. Even though it is difficult to track much of the history and origins of Native American objects and ideas, there have been many reliable sources that historians are limited to. These include accounts written for Europe by the European explorers, oral history from the Native Americans and many of the ruins that remain to this day. The only shortcoming to this 183 page book is that if you are looking for the citations to many of the things that the author says other people have siad, then you are at a great loss. The bibliography has about 12 sources that are not cited but provide a general base for the book's ideas. Overall, this book is a great leisure reading that can be accomplished in one day without the general boredom that other history books can inflict.