History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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The photographs calm your spirit like a meditation.
An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!
An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!

Hutterite: A World of Grace
Rod Slemmons , and Sieglinde Geisel
Manufacturer: Edition Stemmle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3908161290

Customer Reviews:

The photographs calm your spirit like a meditation........1999-10-13

This is a book to return to over and over again. I've opened it in the midst of a hectic, demanding day and the clean black and white images made me feel refreshed and hopeful. The photographs embody a kind of peace I think we all yearn for.

An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!.......1999-07-12

My name is Simone. I live in Oklahoma. My family and I have evangelized and sang all over the U.S. and Canada. We met a colony of Hutterian Brethren through a church pastor whom lives in PincherCreek, Alberta, Canada, whom invited us to preach at his church. We became really good friends with the Hutterites. I have been communicating by phone and letter over 11 years with them. I found out from my Hutterite friend Janet Walter from Lamona, Wash. that this book was coming out. I have actual pictures from this book that I've had for years from past letters. The Hutterite people usually don't associate with outsiders, but, by extraordinary happenstance, if invited into their way of life, they will be your friends-for-life; always possessing a place in their hearts. The Hutterites live in colonies and are a hard-working, God-fearing, and family-focused people. I love the Hutterites . . . so will you!

An eye-opening adventure of a grossly-misunderstood people!.......1999-07-12

My name is Simone. I live in Oklahoma. My family and I have evangelized and sang all over the U.S. and Canada. We met a colony of Hutterian Brethren through a church pastor whom lives in PincherCreek, Alberta, Canada, whom invited us to preached at his church. We became really good friends with the Hutterites. I have been communicating by phone and letter over 11 years with them. I found out from my Hutterite friend Janet Walter from Lamona, Wash. that this book was coming out. I have actual pictures from this book that I've had for years from past letters. The Hutterite people usually don't associate with outsiders, but, by extraordinary happenstance, if invited into their way of life, they will be your friends-for-life; always possessing a place in their hearts. The Hutterites live in colonies and are a hard-working, God-fearing, and family-focused people. I love the Hutterites . . . so will you!

Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans

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Distant Neighbors: A Real Eye-opener
decoding the culture
Distant Narrator
Still useful despite being written 2 decades ago
The Best Book in English about Mexico and Mexicans.

Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans
Alan Riding
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0679724419
Release Date: 1989-10-23

Book Description

A study of Mexico - political, social, cultural, economic - by a journalist who was for the past 6 years the NYT bureau chief in Mexico City. With portraits of Mexico's top leaders, about a nation whose stability is vital to our national well-being.

Customer Reviews:

Distant Neighbors: A Real Eye-opener.......2007-04-24

As a Mexican American I have read several books about Mexico's history. This one was probably the greatest eye-opener. It goes where other authors refuse to tread. Discussing government corruption and much more. The author does not hold any punches back. He discloses facts such as that the Mexican government doesn't treat Mexicans much better than the U.S. treats them. The book may leave you with a sense of hopelessness. But it will definitely enlighten you. The only bad thing about this book is that the discussion on history is in desperate need of an overhaul, and that's why I cannot give this book 4 or 5 stars.

decoding the culture.......2007-01-20

I read this book years ago and still use it as a reference. I have traveled and studied in Mexico for many years and speak Spanish. So few Americans really understand Mexico, especially the roots of corruption, things like Mordidas, the military, police etc. This book enlightens and explains. A number of Mexican friends (certainly not those in the Government)agree. The sad fact is there are many things about Mexico that the Mexican government would rather not discuss or have us know. One of the reasons so few books deal honestly with the problems of Mexico. This book or (any book) that deals honestly with the problems of Mexico must necessarily risk engendering some feelings of hopelessness among some readers but such is, often, the nature of truth.

Distant Narrator.......2006-09-07

Alan Riding's book-length description of the people and culture of Mexico is as broad as the Rio Grande, as sprawling as the Sierra Madre, and as dry as Lake Texcoco. Dated, too, published in 1985, well before NAFTA and the collapse of Mexico's long-ruling PRI party, but what really hurts the readability of this book is Riding's total disengagement from the subject.

"At risk of caricature, a typical Mexican family can still be stereotyped," Riding writes. "The father is the undisputed figure of authority who has little respect for - or communication with - his wife. He expects to be served royally at home, but he spends much of his time and money drinking with friends or visiting his mistress. He pays minimal attention to his children, although he carries great importance to having a male firstborn who carries his name. The mother, rejected as a wife and a lover by her husband, tries to alleviate..."

Riding goes on like this for a while, but I won't. What really annoyed me about "Distant Neighbors" aren't his generalizations (they may be perfectly valid) but the tone of jaded detachment behind it. He might as well be tracking hippos in Zambia for all the passion he derives from his subjects.

Another thing I had trouble with: What exactly is "Distant Neighbors" about? The title seems to suggest the relationship between Mexico and the United States, and he starts in that vein noting how odd it is two such different countries share so long a border. But the theme isn't carried through the rest of the book, which deals just with Mexico. The idea then seems to be the "distant neighbors" of class, beliefs, and ethnicity that divide this closely-packed country. If so, it is not drawn out.

Riding covers a lot of ground, though more with dates and statistics then by capturing the voices of real Mexicans. When he finally returns to the subject of Mexican-U.S. relations in the last fourth of the book, it's a well-observed narrative with striking observations, like how deep the wounds of the Mexican War still penetrate the Mexican psyche and how badly Mexican President Lopez Portillo got on with U.S. President Carter. Oddly, Lopez Portillo was friendlier with Carter's successor, Ronald Reagan, despite the wider gulf in their ideologies; Riding notes deftly how this bespeaks a certain divide between rhetoric and reality where Mexican politics are concerned.

But for the most part, "Distant Neighbors" is a relentless, reflexively pessimistic book. "The system has in fact never lived without corruption and it would disintegrate or change beyond recognition if it tried to do so," he writes, as if one would be as bad as the other.

Worse, it lacks a sense Riding really invested himself of where he lived and worked for years as Mexico City bureau chief for the New York Times. Timesmen like Hedrick Smith ("The Russians") and Thomas Friedman ("From Beirut To Jerusalem") managed to produce books about past beats that give the reader a real flavor, and even zest, for the places and the people they describe. Riding, by contrast, gives you the feeling he couldn't wait to leave Mexico. In his hands, neither can you.

Still useful despite being written 2 decades ago.......2006-02-07

This is a terrific book. The history section is naturally outdated, but some people could still benefit from this book:

-Businessmen: you usually deal with rich people when you come here and the upper-class in here has not evoluted very much since the mid 80's. It seems they have changed quite a bit, but not so. Most of them are still pretty much the same deeply religious Catholic people. You could meet their daughters who have gone to rich nations to get college education; many of those women even work, but eventually let their husbands make the money. You can see how this upper class has not changed in the fact that they rule the business world here and most companies are being wiped out by foreign competition. They are not innovating or changing. In other times they would blame the government for their misfortunes but the current government is made of this type of people.

-Exchange students: Again, you are likely to deal with rich people so read paragraph above.

-Students majoring in Mexican or Latin studies: Even when it outdated you'll hardly find a book that keep again from Liberal or Conservatives agendas. The book presents a very balanced view of the Mexico conquest by then Spaniards. Traditional Liberal textbooks portray the Spaniards as the bad guy. But this books shows that the Indian were always in wars, they helped the Spaniards to get rid o the Aztec oppression and the Spaniards stopped the human sacrifices. You will really need to read these sections in order to have a more balanced view of Mexico.

The author even considered the relationships of Mexico with Central America. That was good indeed; many people in here seem to think that beyond our borders only rich countries exist. This why when many journalist complain about mistreatment of Mexican in US, some others well state the Mexico doesn't treat Central American well either.

The Best Book in English about Mexico and Mexicans........2003-09-07

The Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) Times calls this the best book in English about Mexico. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was some of the history. It needs someone to do an update of Fox's Presidency and Commandante Marcos.
Growing up in New York, it was just a facsination. I now live in Tucson, Arizona. The border is an hour away. Distant Neighbors is an apt description. American and Mexicans talk past each other without really hearing each other. His best chapters? The beginning chapters about how the Mexican nation was born and the later chapters about the different regions of this diverse country. Distant Neighbors is my guide to start exploring beyond Nogales.

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Ghost Dancing Sacred Medicine and the Art of JD Challenger
Art for the Soul
Beautiful Visual Experience
Excellent reproduction of JD's paintings.

Ghost Dancing: JD Challenger
E. Daniels
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Ghost Dancing Sacred Medicine and the Art of JD Challenger.......2001-04-27

Descriptive words of Ghost Dancing, joined with the timeless wisdom contained in the words of Native America. Couple this with the paintings of JD Challenger and you have an opportunity to not read about but really feel. This is not a book just narrating the past but speaks volumes to the future. This book called to me from the library shelf and I have ordered to place in a prominent place on my shelf. This is a book to share with others and come back to often.

Art for the Soul.......1999-10-07

JD challengers work was the first original art that I have purchased. When I saw his work in a gallery in Santa Fe, I was mesmorized by the character of his subjects. Ghost Dancing provides a good overview of many of his prints that are available.

Beautiful Visual Experience.......1999-02-28

The text of this book is extremely informative on the Ghost Dance Religion of Native Americans. It covers the origins of the religion, its climax and the results thereof. Adding to this educational context is the Beautifully compelling work of artist JD Challenger. His riviting paintings jump from the pages virtually reaching out from the book and pulling you in. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Native Americans and most assuredly to anyone who loves art that emits emtional impact. I constantly go back to this book as a source of inspiration and to gain understanding of Native American's plight.

Excellent reproduction of JD's paintings........1998-07-10

The book is of the finest quality in printing and binding. The content is very educational and the reproductrion of JD's paintings is superb.

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Eye opener.
Attributes that enable immigrants to assimilate US culture.

Immigrant America: A Portrait
Alejandro Portes , and Rubén G. Rumbaut
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520250419

Book Description

This third edition of the widely acclaimed classic has been thoroughly expanded and updated to reflect current demographic, economic, and political realities. Drawing on recent census data and other primary sources, Portes and Rumbaut have infused the entire text with new information and added a vivid array of new vignettes and illustrations.
Recognized for its superb portrayal of immigration and immigrant lives in the United States, this book probes the dynamics of immigrant politics, examining questions of identity and loyalty among newcomers, and explores the psychological consequences of varying modes of migration and acculturation. The authors look at patterns of settlement in urban America, discuss the problems of English-language acquisition and bilingual education, explain how immigrants incorporate themselves into the American economy, and examine the trajectories of their children from adolescence to early adulthood. With a vital new chapter on religion--and fresh analyses of topics ranging from patterns of incarceration to the mobility of the second generation and the unintended consequences of public policies--this updated edition is indispensable for framing and informing issues that promise to be even more hotly and urgently contested as the subject moves to the center of national debate..

Customer Reviews:

Eye opener........2003-08-06

If you want to know more about the United States and the real stories about the people who build it and live there, this is the book for you. This isn't about the people who came over on the boats in black & white times; it's about the people who are coming here now. It discusses how the land we live in is being sculpted by the immigrants who arrive every day. I think people forget how incredibly diverse the United States is. And people most certainly forget about the challenges and triumphs of the people who come to the U.S. from other lands, and why they came in the first place. The authors clearly describe the stories of the people who make America 'America'.

Attributes that enable immigrants to assimilate US culture........1999-10-29

Immigrant America cites the Immigration Act of 1965 and world politics and economy as reasons for the second wave of immigrants in the twentieth century. The Act encouraged existing immigrants to bring members of their immediate families into the United States outside of government created quotas. Immigrants with "special skills" such as physicians, and professional engineers were given preference. In addition, certain refugees were given some preference. The majority of Immigrants after 1965 came from Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean Islands. There was immigration from European countries but in less numbers than in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Immigrants from Asia included refugees from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and opportunity seekers from South Korea and China. Latin American and Caribbean immigrants came for similar reasons.

Assimilation and Acculturation

Portes and Rumbaut frame their discourse around the ability of different ethnic groups to become accepted into American society. Assimilation is the process of responding to new situations in conformity with what already exists in a culture. Acculturation is the cultural modification of people by adapting to or borrowing traits from another culture. It is also defined as a merging of cultures as a result of prolonged contact. The factors that influence assimilation and acculturation for new Americans include: the policy of the receiving government, conditions of the new country's labor market, and individual characteristics of the immigrant. The ability to use English was found to be of paramount importance in the assimilation process. Unlike other countries that are tolerant and accustomed to multilingual populations, the larger American community insists on the use of the native language of English by immigrants as a requirement for acceptance. In return the United States appears more tolerant of the practice of diverse cultural customs and religions than other counties. Therefore it is imperative that immigrants learn English, preferable unaccented English, for acceptance into the larger community. The authors point out that the assimilation process is hampered by the tendency of new immigrants to live in ethnic conclaves. This tendency is easily understood for the support value of living in a community where people share common language, customs, and history. The ability to transcend the ethnic conclave to mainstream American society is difficult for first generation immigrants. The assimilation and acculturation process is easier for subsequent generations, the rate of which is dependent on language and education. Immigrants who are fluent bilinguals have greater self-esteem and can assimilate more quickly than those who rely on their old language or have an ineffective use of English. Race continues to be a barrier to assimilation since the majority of Americans are of white European ancestry. Again, the mastery of unaccented proper English can ameliorate the discriminating effects of race. The higher than normal, two to three times, suicide rates among immigrants is remarkable and is purportedly related to the level of satisfaction of immigrants in their new situation. The highly educated and skilled immigrants who are unable to work at their chosen profession in the new county are most vulnerable as well as those immigrants who feel isolated from their families left in the old country. The inability to speak English well in the United States further intensifies this sense of isolation and leads to despair. The geographical location of immigrants impacts their rate of assimilation. Immigrants located in urban and rural areas may become acculturated into groups that are outside the main stream. Second generation immigrants attending school with marginalized social groups may adopt habits and values that run counter to the larger society. The generation gap between first and second generation immigrants is so wide that parents are dependent upon their children for clues on how to perform routine activities outside the home such as making purchases and obtaining services. Portes and Rumbaunt classified immigrants into three categories: those who live in ethnic conclaves with limited exposure to the larger society; ethnic middlemen who interface with the larger society as merchants; and sophisticates who by education, occupation, or command of unaccented English have successfully assimilated into mainstream American society.

* * *

Book Description

"This beautifully illustrated book. . . . [is] Both an ethnographic study and an homage to a culture."

-Los Angeles Times "Text and pictures combine to give us a profound sense of the Mayan past and the living present."

-Houston Chronicle This acclaimed volume, now in paperback, is the first to document the life of the Maya of today, a remarkable people who are the direct heirs to the magnificent Maya culture of Pre-Columbian times. Walter F. Morris, Jr., a highly respected expert in the field, and Jeffrey Jay Foxx, a well-known ethnographic photographer, capture the spirited story of this extraordinary people, who live in Central America and southern Mexico. Living Maya reveals daily rituals, religious ceremonies, colorful markets, and stunning landscapes. Myths, legends, and songs are explained and depicted, and there is a special emphasis on the Maya's weaving, the one art form to have persisted virtually unchanged throughout the last 2000 years. 25 photographs in full color, 60 line drawings, 2 maps, 9 x 11" WALTER F. MORRIS, JR., has been studying and writing about Maya culture since 1972. He has curated several collections of Maya art and has contributed to many publications and documentaries on the subject. He is fluent in several Maya languages. In 1983 Morris' work with the highland Maya, in particular his efforts in setting up the first Indian-run weavers' cooperative in Mexico, was recognized by a five-year MacArthur Award Fellowship. He lives in Chiapas, Mexico. JEFFREY JAY FOXX has been documenting the life and arts of the Maya for more than two decades for such publications as LIFE and National Geographic. His work has been exhibited throughout the United States. Foxx is the photographer of two other Abrams books, The Turquoise Trail and The Maya Textile Tradition. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiufl Photos with text that brings the Maya to Life.......1999-03-01

This book is beautiful. I lived in Chiapas Mexico for a time and this book captures the beauty and reality of the region to life better than any other book I have seen. The text is written by an anthropolgist that has lived in the region for years and really knows the Mayan people. The text is very informative about the parts of ancient Mayan culture that have survived into the present day and is peppered with the writer's own experiences with the Maya making it far from dry reading. It will make you want to visit this amazing region of the world inhabited by the Living Maya.

Native Americans: A Portrait : The Art and Travels of Charles Bird King, George Catlin, and Karl Bodmer

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Native Americans: A Portrait : The Art and Travels of Charles Bird King, George Catlin, and Karl Bodmer
Robert J. Moore
Manufacturer: Stewart Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mabel McKay: Weaving the Dream (Portraits of American Genius, 1)

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continues to resonate over time
Great book

Mabel McKay: Weaving the Dream (Portraits of American Genius, 1)
Greg Sarris
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520209680

Book Description

A world-renowned Pomo basket weaver and medicine woman, Mabel McKay expressed her genius through her celebrated baskets, her Dreams, her cures, and the stories with which she kept her culture alive. She spent her life teaching others how the spirit speaks through the Dream, how the spirit heals, and how the spirit demands to be heard.
Greg Sarris weaves together stories from Mabel McKay's life with an account of how he tried, and she resisted, telling her story straight--the white people's way. Sarris, an Indian of mixed-blood heritage, finds his own story in his search for Mabel McKay's. Beautifully narrated, Weaving the Dream initiates the reader into Pomo culture and demonstrates how a woman who worked most of her life in a cannery could become a great healer and an artist whose baskets were collected by the Smithsonian.
Hearing Mabel McKay's life story, we see that distinctions between material and spiritual and between mundane and magical disappear. What remains is a timeless way of healing, of making art, and of being in the world.

Customer Reviews:

continues to resonate over time.......2005-08-18

This is just a wonderful piece of writing, one which keeps resonating with me, even several years after first reading it. This book should have more readers, and seeing so few reviews for it, I want to argue for it as a must read on anybody's list. We all know books or speakers, writers and lecturers who could take any subject and make it worthwhile, just to spend time in their company. Greg Sarris is one of those magical presences we can be lucky enough to get to know through the medium of the page. Saying this is not intended to undercut the amazing person of Mabel Mckay, by the way. The way the past present and future weave in and out of this book, her stories, Greg's life, the future of land use in California... all of this is here, an enticing mix of POV's, passed around like a sacred pipe.

A great read....

Great book.......1998-12-09

I read this book for an anthropology class that i am taking, and i found it to be very good. We get a first hand account of what role Mable McKay played for the Pomo Indians as a medicine women and as a basket weaver. Everything that she did was for a purpose, even though at times she had to deal with not everyone accepting her. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Native American ways of life

Touch the Earth: A Self Portrait of Indian Existence

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An amazing account of an amazing people
My soul sings
Big lessons from the Great Spirit
Native American philosophy has much to teach us
An uplifting glimpse into the Native American heart & mind.

Touch the Earth: A Self Portrait of Indian Existence
T. C. McLuhan
Manufacturer: BBS Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0883940000

Customer Reviews:

An amazing account of an amazing people.......2006-03-21

All of the history buffs and Native American descendants and people in general should buy this book to have a bigger and brighter outlook on the "indians" that our country so badly abused and misunderstood.

Amazing book.

My soul sings.......2005-08-30

In a nutshell this book is a compilation of quotations from many Native Americans.

However this book expands far beyond that nutshell. It shows many sides of Indian thought and belief interweaving both spirituality and history. The book is organised in an affective way, first having quotations showing the Indians willingness to co-exist with the white man and slowly that willingness fading into bitterness and anger as the settlers destroyed the land and displaced the Indians from their ancestral homes.

Even though 'Touch the Earth' might seem like an potentially depressing book it is very far from that. I found it very uplifting. Many of the quotations spoke to some deep part of my heart that made my soul smile. The archive pictures through out the book alone make me love it. It is a book full of words from wise men, so inspiring yet at other moments so anguished.

"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of the buffalo in the winter time. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the Sunset." -- Crowfoot

"I hear no longer the songs of the women as they prepare the meal. The antelope have gone; the buffalo wallos are empty. [...] We are like birds with a broken wing. My heart is cold within me. My eyes are growing dim - I am old..." -- Chief Plenty-Coups

The one thing I will say about "Touch the Earth" is that you have to be in the right mood to read it. Most people cannot sit down and read a book cover to cover that is filled with quotation after quotation. Also some things that are said are so deep that I just had to sit for awhile and think about them. If you are not the type of person who liked history this is not the kind of book for you. However if the history of the Native American's fascinated you, as it does me, I would definitely recommend this gem.

Big lessons from the Great Spirit.......2005-08-09

Have you ever at any time in your life truly felt connected to the earth, all its inhabitants, the plants, the rocks, the wind? Touch the Earth is almost like a Native American prayer book and it examines this direct connection between our land's original inhabitants and their world around them. Not only did they feel this connection, but they lived it every day. Consequently they did not understand the White Man and his only going to church on Sundays.

As I've read and reread my copy, I often wonder what it would be like if we had respect for all the things created by God's hand instead of for only the ones we pick and choose to respect and honor. By favoring one species over another, we have dangerously tipped the ecological balance and not in a good way. By failing to understand the links between all the elements that make up the earth, we humans are well on our way to fouling our own nest.

I recommend reading this book late at night just before bedtime. Read only one or two essays at a time and allow the words to touch you. Perhaps you will remember why it is important to Touch the Earth, our Mother.

Native American philosophy has much to teach us.......2004-02-29

The letter from Chief Seattle to the US President.. "How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? ..." and the vision of Black Elk ..."The sacred hoop of his people was only one of many hoops, all joined together to make one great circle, the great hoop of all peoples.." brought home to me the fact that the Native American philosophy of living has so much to teach us. They were closely connected to the earth, loved and respected it, while we treat it with violence; they were closely connected to our universal Mother and seemed to truly understand humankind's place in the universe while we trust in our technology and the wealth it brings us. The Native Americans appeared to have lived their lives with their two natures - materialistic and spiritual - in harmony while we have over emphasized the material and neglected the spiritual. While we cannot turn the clock back and ride horses and live in tents - nor would we want to - but surely there must be some principles that they incorporated into their lives which we can discover and build into our lives to help redress the balance of our two natures. So I turned to this book to see if there is some Native American wisdom which would enrich my life. I was certainly encouraged by the Book of-the-Month Club comment on the back cover "Simply but eloquently, the selections tell of the Indians' relationship with the earth, their kinship with all of nature's creatures, and their unity with the elements. They speak of the harmony that existed between the Indian and the land, a harmony that was disrupted as 'the hairy man from the east' encroached still further into their territory." and ".. one cannot help but be struck anew by their wisdom and their prophetic vision..."

I read this passage in the introduction: "In this book, the Indians speak for themselves, of the quality of their life. The passages that make up the book have been taken from speeches of Indians living in all parts of the North American continent, between the 16th and 20th centuries. They speak with courtesy and respect of the land, of animals, of the objects which made up the territory in which they lived. They saw no virtue in imposing their will over their environment: private acquisition, almost without exception, was to them a way to poverty, not to riches. The meaning of their life was identified through their relationships with each other and their homelands - all of which was given depth and resonance by memory" and understood that here in this volume I would find what I was looking for. Many of the passages reflect attempts by the Indians to offer their ideas to the whiteman but we responded by destroying their way of life and with it much of the wisdom we need today. We are indeed fortunate to have this collection to refer to. We cannot turn the clock back; we cannot undo the deeds of prior generations. But perhaps we can at least take the trouble to reflect on what these wise people were trying to teach our forebears and perhaps we will find some words of wisdom that will help us to live our lives with our two natures - materialistic and spiritual - more closely in balance.

If we fail to do this I fear that the prophecy in the introduction will come true. "It is well understood that the only decent future for us who live in America now is through a rediscovery of our environment. We need to establish a right relationship with the land and its resources; otherwise, the destruction of the Indian will be followed by the destruction of nature; and in the destruction of nature will follow the destruction of ourselves."

An uplifting glimpse into the Native American heart & mind........1997-10-14

I purchased this precious compendium of wisdom expecting to find some interesting Native American quotations to add to my 400+ collection of quotation books. I discovered an inspirationial book which deftly interweaves philosophy, ecology, history, anthropology and spirituality. Actually, it is a first hand account of the eradication of the American Indian culture and extermination of their peoples spoken by the tribal leaders. Yet it is uplifting and inspiring, not desolating. Page after page I found my heart glowing, or chills running up my back, as I was touched by the pure, noble, plain yet profound talk of these great yet simple men-- Seattle, Tecumseh, Black Hawk, Geronimo and lesser known chiefs of Choctaw, Nez Perce, Yuma, Hopi, Chickasaw, Sioux, and Cree nations. They, with great nobility and anguish, speak the case for their simple way of life, embracing nature and sharing its bounties with all their equal partners-- the buffalo, eagle, bear, trees, wind, earth and sky, all part of the great spirit. The archive photos alone are worth the bargain price of this treasure.

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