Customer Reviews

AMERICAN INDIANS: Stereotypes & Realities

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

this book is an important, but easy read of stereotypes and realities and the relationship between the dominant culture of the United States with the indiginous culture. its a great primer for beginning discussion in a classroom or for reference when discussing stereotypes

This well done book serves to debunk and correct the stereotypical image of the American Indian. The book is loaded with reference material and guidelines for teachers. Every educator and library in America would benefit greatly from having this wonderfully educational and enjoyable book.

I really enjoyed Devon A. Mihesuah's "American Indian: Stereotypes and Realities" . The book is a compilation of contemporary myths and stereotypes of American Indians. I think when people read this book, they'll have a broader outlook of themselves, how they were raised, and the people around them.

This book has been part of my personal library since I first took Dr. Mihesuah's undergraduate course in Arizona. I still reference this book and find if very relevant to educating those who want to learn about Native Americans. Very easy to read and offers suggestive reading/topics for students.

I found this book very useful as a teaching tool but it is often condescending to those outside of Indian Country, sometimes with good reason and sometimes out of anger. While the anger is understandable, the author looses her credibility by assuming all non-natives share incorrect views of natives. I still feel it is a useful book for demonstrating stereotypes and realities of the American Indian experience but, I wish the author would have moved beyond stereotyping readers outside of the American Indian as ignorant in order to present the realities of American Indians as valid.

American Indians: Stereotypes & Realities by Devon A. Mihesuah is an excellent introductory work on the myths and stereotypes surrounding America's original inhabitants. This book is a quick read and is fairly well written. Mihesuah cuts to the chase and lays down what is right and what is wrong with "Euro-American" perspectives on indigenous culture in simple terms. As another reviewer has mentioned, she does come off as condescending and at times utterly hostile; but in the many instances that this occurs, it seems to be the only avenue in getting a serious point across. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars if it weren't for the poor editing and minor instances of overt and inappropriate hostility. There are numerous typos, misspellings and grammar mistakes that makes this scholarly work less than scholarly. I would recommend reading this book with other supplementary material in order to gain a solid introductory foundation on the subject of the American Indian.

It is amazing that clueless white males continue to perpetrate their eurocentric structuring of Native American identity. Fortunately, we have wonderful books like this that challenge the assumptions of the domineering society controlled by white patriarchal attitudes. This is an important book.

This was a required text for one of my classes and I cannot believe how full of bigoted vitriol it was. Ironically for a book about dispelling stereotypes, she stereotyped every non-native repeatedly while saying offensive things like anyone with a native relative is an "Indian Wannabe". The author also tried to make arguments that the "white man" is stereotyping based on various cartoons and caricatures. I can't think of any sane person who would actually think that a mascot is an accurate portrayal of an Indian. Is Yosemite Sam an accurate portrayal of a cowboy? Of course not, it's a cartoon! And nobody believes natives can talk to animals because of Pocahantas, all female Disney characters can talk to animals, it's Disney! Most of the arguments in this book are better suited for the intellectual capacity of 4th graders than for higher education. For this author to be a professor is appalling. There are much better books for dispelling stereotypes that use education and facts rather than opinions and name calling.

If you hate Europeans and prefer to avoid using critical thinking skills, then perhaps you'd like this book, otherwise, it's better suited for lining bird cages.