Customer Reviews

The Legacy of a Master Potter: Nampeyo and Her Descendants

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The title says it and the book certainly delivers Nampeyo's legacy and much more. If a rating above five stars could be given, this book is deserving of such status. I'm not alone in my praise, as contemporary Native American authorities Bruce McGee and Mark Bahti consider the book to be a model of research, accuracy and thoroughness and an inspiration and landmark with comprehensive and meticulous research. Author Mary Ellen Blair and her husband are to be highly commended for over twenty years of research and numerous visits to the Hopi lands for interviews with Nampeyo's descendants. They left no stone unturned. A full twenty three pages of references are included ... from A - Z.With such extensive time and research one would expect such a book to be weighty and difficult to read. The opposite is true. All the facts and history, from ca 800 - 1700 to the mid 1990's are included. This book reads like a novel and the only problem I could find is that you can't put it down! Page after page and event after event, the reader is held captive by the writing. Mrs Blair pulls no punches as she names the Native Americans, Anglo Americans and Europeans who were caring and honest and she openly points to the dishonest and unscrupulous individuals (incl those in high government positions) who took advantage of Nampeyo and other artists for personal/monetary gain.I could continue with the highest praise for this book. I learned so much from it and I'm continuing to learn with every page. A thirty two page color portfolio is included which contains outstanding examples of Nampeyo's work and those of her descendants which are a real feast for the eyes. I would highly recommend this book to Hopi pottery collectors and to anyone who is interested in Native American/Hopi history from (esp) 1860 - 1940.

The book does an excellent job of providing the reader with the history of Hopi pottery. The family trees in the book are an excellent resource for anyone interested in Hopi pottery.

Nampeyo was a treasure and MaryEllen Blair did a great job of research. This book belongs on the shelf of every library and Indian Art Collector. It has an amazing genealogy of Nampeyo and her family and ancestors. This is a terrific reference book and full of good read.