Good Afternoon, Trismegistus!

I fear you probably have a better feel for the literature on Cahokia and pre-Columbian history than I. North America wasn't even on my radar until 18 months ago. I was strictly an early Medieval gal.

That said I've started my reading with some of the seminal academic papers to get my headings -- A.R. Crook and Moorehead. [These are short and interesting and available free on-line at Archive.org if you are at all interested]. William Foster has some interesting things to say about trade through that region, but it's not the particular focus of his book on the lesser La Salle.

So I guess I would say that the best article that I've run across is actually by a fellow LTer. "The Frontier in Pre-Columbian Illinois" by Alan Shackelford has addressed some questions that I haven't seen talked about anywhere else: the "demise" of Cahokia and effect this had on the Illinois Territory. This paper was published in the "Journal of Illinois State Historical Society" last fall. I got it thru ILL. If you've ever wondered about the ties (political and economic) between various ethnic groups in the region, then this is the paper you want.

Do you have access to JSTOR?

inlägg gjort av ThePam vid 4:49 pm (EST) Jun 27, 2008

Well, I have to say I'm more inspired to write some of the harsher reviews that are currently swirling around in my head after reading yours! I always seem to enjoy reading the negative reviews more than the positive ones anyway, and people have the right to know what they're getting into before spending good money on a book!

inlägg gjort av jhedlund vid 4:24 pm (EST) Jun 27, 2008

LOVED your review of The White Lady. It's not often I laugh out loud while reading book reviews, but that one did it. You should, in fact, get paid to read books (and then review them!).

inlägg gjort av jhedlund vid 12:50 pm (EST) Jun 25, 2008

Thanks for the heads-up about "Tribes That Slumber", Trismegistus. I've added it to my Amazon list.

Do you read a great deal of early N. American history? I see you're widely read, but I didn't notice any books in your stacks falling into this category.

inlägg gjort av ThePam vid 7:49 am (EST) Jun 25, 2008

I JUST had to drop by and tell you that your review of "The White Mary" is one of the best reviews that I've read in some time. (And I read reviews almost every day.)

Good Job!

inlägg gjort av ThePam vid 11:07 am (EST) Jun 24, 2008

I totally agree with your review of "Alive in Necropolis" (such a great review I thumb-upped you). Doug is actually going to have some guest posts on my blog in a couple of weeks (and again in a month) while I'm out of town. Anything in particular you think I should ask him to blog about?

inlägg gjort av DevourerOfBooks vid 6:10 pm (EST) Jun 12, 2008

hi! i got Growing Seasons today- thank you so much! I'm looking forward to reading it. It looks like it's right up my alley! :-) and it's signed! thanks!!!!

inlägg gjort av bostonbibliophile vid 12:36 pm (EST) May 15, 2008

You've read more Su Tong than I, since I haven't read Red Lantern...yet. I didn't know that he had another novel coming. That is great news! Re: Taran. Me too.

inlägg gjort av slickdpdx vid 11:05 pm (EST) Jan 5, 2008

I was thrilled to read your glowing review of Su Tong's latest. Read his other novel, Rice, which is quite different (starts with a starving peasant instead of an emperor and is set in more recent times) but equally amazing. P.S. Lloyd Alexander rules! (Although I admit its been awhile since I read the Taran books.)

inlägg gjort av slickdpdx vid 7:29 pm (EST) Jan 4, 2008