As editor Wishart states in his preface, this spin-off from the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains (2004) deals with Plains Indians because "the reservations in the United States and the reserves in Canada are islands of population increase in a sea of rural population decline." The volume contains 123 alphabetically arranged entries excerpted from the larger work (also edited by Wishart), mostly from the Native American chapter. Some 23 new entries deal primarily with contemporary Plains Indians, and many of the photographs are new. Quinn, Mary Ellen
Review
“This book is a triumph of information about Plains tribes that must be on the bookshelf of everyone at all interested in their history and future. The tribes and reservations are, after all, important as ‘islands of population increase in a sea of rural population decline,’ in the Great Plains.”—Francis Moul, Lincoln Journal Star
"This new volume's strength is as a single source that draws the various Great Plains Indians and their cultures together. . . . The general index is detailed and comprehensive; an index of contributors is included. This volume offers core information on the Native peoples of the Great Plains, covering a considerable expanse of time and subject matter."—Choice Published On: 2007-09-01
“Because of its vast collection of short entries, this is an easy read that is informative and fascinating….the University of Nebraska Press’ Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians is a wonderful supplement to the often-sad story of America’s first settlers.” —Rick Galusha, Omaha City Weekly
Published On: 2007-04-09
“The Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians is a wonderful resource for readers interested in learning more about the original inhabitants of the Great Plains, and should spur most to delve further into the topics that pique their interest.”—New West Published On: 2007-04-09
“The variety and range of the articles will appeal to any teacher or student of American history or American studies. . . . A valuable addition to any reference shelf.” —Patricia Moore, Kliatt
Published On: 2007-05-24
“Here are the people, places, processes, and events that have shaped lives of the Indians of the Great Plains from the beginnings of human habitation to the present….Anyone wanting to know about Plains Indians, past and present, will find this an authoritative and fascinating source.”—Nebraska Magazine
Published On: 2007-06-19
"The entries in the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains are well written and informative. . . . [They] succeed in the editor’s quest to show what the Native peoples of that region have endured, what they have accomplished, and how they have remained central to life on the Great Plains. This is a quality publication that scholars and aficionados of American Indian history and cultures and Great Plains and Oklahoma histories will want to read and own."—John D. May, Chronicles of Oklahoma Published On: 2008-01-15
"The Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians represents the single best reference work on the topic. In short, Wishart has condensed a vast array of subjects within the broader context of Great Plains Indians into one highly useable book."—James E. Sherow, Great Plains Quarterly Published On: 2008-06-01
About the Author
David J. Wishart is a professor of geography at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In addition to editing the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains (Nebraska 2004), he is the author of three other books, including An Unspeakable Sadness: The Dispossession of the Nebraska Indians (Nebraska 1994).
