Turtle Island Alphabet: A Lexicon of Native American Symbols and Culture (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this elegant volume, Hausman examines major themes of Native American culture as observed in poetry, experience and collective memory. Illustrations.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Hausman has produced a list of some 50 common Native American terms, artifacts, objects, and concepts in an illustrated dictionary format. This book is not intended to be a dictionary like John Stoutenberg Jr.'s classic Dictionary of the American Indian ( LJ 2/15/60), but rather a sensitive examination of these words as seen through the cultural eye of Native Americans. The "story" of each word is presented in art, poetry, and text giving the reader an explanation of how this word has been historically and mythically passed down through centuries of Native American storytelling. Objects and artifacts are described practically with a history of their use and development. All terms are given a mythological explanation indicating the word's significance to society. This fascinating browser for general readers is a unique mix of art, explanation, and philosophy.
- Bruce Alan Hanson, Wayzata East Junior H.S. Lib., Minn.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (May 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031209406X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312094065
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,919,581 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Earth, aka 'Turtle Island', September 10, 2006

By	Ann K. Werner "anncan" (Monticello, In) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Turtle Island Alphabet (Audio Cassette)

Awesome storytelling, and delightful accounts that share the native american insights to common everyday experience.
I own the cassette and especially enjoy listening to them in the tones and inflections of the indians.
Whether you choose to believe them or not, (set yourself up for some disappointment if you are too literal), just enjoy the artful way things are presented.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference Book, November 6, 2006

By	Michele Cozzens "www.michelecozzens.com" (Cloud 8) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

From Turtle Island Alphabet:
"When medicine men share a story, an educational process begins that is a circle of sharing between teller and listener. The story is born so that the listener may, at some point, become the teller; and this is how history is written in the human mind."

I've had this book on my shelf for a number of years and pull it out every once in a while to use as a reference for one or many of the symbols associated with Native American culture/s. Turtle Island Alphabet, available in paperback, contains a beautiful and informative introduction by the author. It's very thorough, with text, photos and illustrations, covering the symbolic meaning alphabetically from "arrow" to "zigzag." A vast number of tribes are included in the text, driving home the history of "the People." It includes an explanation of the geographic mistakes leading to the use of the word "Indian," and even more interesting and relevant to the book's name, "America" used in place of "Turtle Island."

Recommend for any study of Native American culture/s.

From the author of "A Line Between Friends," McKenna Publishing Group.