The perspective presented in Josephy's introduction sets the tone for this collection of articles by well-known scholars. While he notes the costs of arrogant European ethnocentrism to Native Americans, he establishes a balanced view that rejects both ``noble savage'' and ``debased human'' stereotypes. His bias is evident, however, in his use of ``holocaust'' to refer to the destruction of Indian culture as well as in his labeling of the first section, ``We the People, 1492.'' The selection of articles and the book's organization make it useful to students given specialized assignments as well as to those who wish in-depth knowledge of the pre-Columbian world. The book is well indexed and contains an annotated, chapter referenced bibliography. Chapters include information on pre-Columbian life, including aspects of social structure, customs, and achievements. Frequent reference is made to the fact that much of what we know is but the remnants of what occurred, recorded at a later period and altered by time and encounter. While the various articles indentify commonalities among native cultures, they dispel the view of all native traditions as one.

- Carol Wansong, Lee High School, Fairfax County, VA

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