Book Reviews

The People are Dancing Again

Wilkinson, Charles. The People are Dancing Again: The History of the Siletz Tribe of Western Oregon (2010) I first met Wilkinson at an Oregon History Lecture where he was talking  at a “Mark O. Hatfield” Distinguished Historians Forum on the history of the Siletz Tribe. Of course, as a Siletz member, I was rather interested, [...]

Watch / Read

Requiem for a People

Beckham, Stephen Dow. Requiem for a People: The Rogue Indians and the Frontiersmen. 1971. Probably one of the first really depressing books I ever read. Part of the reason I became involved in “genocide awareness” work. This is a historical look at the Rogue Indian Wars in SW Oregon, and their forced, almost genocidal removal [...]

Watch / Read

Better Angels of Our Nature

The Better Angels of our Nature: Why Violence has Declined Steven Pinkerton Viking 2011 This book by Steven Pinker (The Stuff of Thought, The Blank Slate) is truly a tome. I’ve been reduced to actually having to buy a copy – I’m racking up library fines as I write,  there’s a long waiting list for this through [...]

Watch / Read

Spring Break Light Reading

Thumbnail image for Spring Break Light Reading

Because of the Oregon rains there wasn’t much else to do but read this spring break. Oh yeah – and I don’t even get spring break! So I grabbed a copy of The Darker Nations: A People’s History of the Third World (New Press People’s History)  by Prashad. Light reading – not. Kind of like [...]

Watch / Read

Book Review: The Imperial Cruise

Thumbnail image for Book Review: The Imperial Cruise

Currently Reading: The Imperial Cruise A Secret history of Empire and War James Bradley Fascinating – but repetitive.  Lots of Teddy Roosevelt bashing, too much, even though it appears it is well deserved. It will take me a while to formulate my feelings about this book.

Watch / Read