Synopses & Reviews
For more than twenty years, Tim Grove has worked at the most popular history museums in the United States, helping millions of people get acquainted with the past. This book translates that experience into an insiderand#8217;s tour of some of the most interesting moments in American history. Groveand#8217;s stories are populated with well-known historical figures such as John Brown, Charles Lindbergh, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and Sacagaweaand#8212;as well as the not-so-famous. Have you heard of Mary Pickersgill, seamstress of the Star-Spangled Banner flag? Grove also has something to say about a few of our cherished myths, for instance, the lore surrounding Betsy Ross and Eli Whitney.
Grove takes readers to historic sites such as Harpers Ferry, Fort McHenry, the Ulm Pishkun buffalo jump, and the Lemhi Pass on the Lewis and Clark Trail and traverses time and space from eighteenth-century Williamsburg to the twenty-first-century Kennedy Space Center. En route from Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic to Cape Disappointment on the Pacific, we learn about planting a cotton patch on the National Mall, riding a high wheel bicycle, flying the transcontinental airmail route, and harnessing a mule. Is history relevant? This book answers with a resounding yes and, in the most entertaining fashion, shows us why.
Review
“Certain to become a standard text in museum studies classes and programs. That the essays are well written and compelling, passionate and yet solidly scholarly, makes this volume suitable not just for the scholar in museum studies, anthropology, or Native culture but, remarkably, an exciting read even for the general reader. Reading through these pages would instruct anyone planning to make a visit to the National Museum of the American Indian but it will, without question, be of great value to anyone interested in observing or communicating the past to the general public.”—Roger Welsch, Nebraska History CHOICE
Review
"A wide variety of significant topics offers readers an understanding of the cultural, academic, and political debates that have dominated the contemporary discourse. Themes from Indian sovereignty and historical truths regarding the struggles of the Indian nations since contact to museum exhibit design and cultural sensitivity give an exceptional balance to the framework of analysis presented by the work as a whole."—T. Maxwell-Long, CHOICE T. Maxwell-Long
Review
"The goal of this excellent book is not to bring closure to these discussions but to make people think by conveying the complexity of the issues surrounding the NMAI and the unique perspectives of those who come in contact with it."—Nancy J. Parezo, Western Historical Quarterly Roger Welsch - Nebraska History
Review
"The seventeen essays in the collection form a magnificent contribution to the field of American Indian studies. Indeed, along with their identification of a number of representational concerns within Native North America, the collective strength of these essays makes it among the most important anthologies in the field. Like the museum it so powerfully interrogates, its importance will endure."—Ned Blackhawk, American Quarterly Nancy J. Parezo - Western Historical Quarterly
Review
"Given the large quantity of Plains ethnographic and archaeological materials in the NMAI, this volume should be of interest to all scholars in the region. It is a useful volume for teaching about the history of anthropology and for Native American studies, it is terrific for teaching about museums, and it is just plain interesting to read."—Lynn Goldstein, Great Plains Quarterly Ned Blackhawk - American Quarterly
Review
"Museum experts and museumgoers should read this volume. . . . The wealth of information contained within it will encourage those interested in and curious about the placement and holdings of this public museum to visit, because Natives now claim a place in this discussion and in one of the most important public spaces of this country—the National Mall."—Rebecca Bales, SAIL Lynn Goldstein - Great Plains Quarterly
Review
"Grove's book is both an inspiration and a template for those who want to kick history out of the attic and put it back where it belongs: in the national living room, slightly to the left of the television."and#8212;James Norton, Washington Post
Review
andquot;Though he's not fond of battlefield re-enactments, Grove thoroughly enjoys re-creating the past with appropriate objects. Essentially about the author's career in educating with artifacts, his account makes snippets of American history accessible to casual readers, who may learn of the utility of mules, the history of airmail and such miscellanea.andquot;andmdash;Kirkus
Review
"This semiautobiographical journey of a versatile, peregrinating public historian is instructive and inspirational for museum docents; informative for history buffs, especially those interested in the background of educational institutions outside the academy; and helpful for administrators of public programs. All readers will appreciate the author's learning techniques for eliciting questions, sparking the imagination, and promoting transcultural understanding, as well as his acknowledgement of cultural sensitivity, multiple perspectives, and changing interpretations."and#8212;Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library Journal
Review
andquot;An engaging, entertaining and educational read.andquot;andmdash;Bill Schwab, eMissourian
Review
and#8220;Tim Grove has combined a thought-provoking and entertaining memoir with an insiderand#8217;s guide to behind-the-scenes history.and#8221;and#8212;Libby H. Oand#8217;Connell, chief historian, History Channel
Review
and#8220;I guarantee that whether you are a history buff, a history scholar, or an and#8216;I hate historyand#8217; Scrooge, you will love this book.and#8221;and#8212;Robert K. Sutton, chief historian, National Park Service
Review
andquot;An enjoyable read.andquot;andmdash;Bill Markley, Roundup Magazine
Review
andquot;[A Grizzly in the Mail and Other Adventures in American History] is an invitation for further exploration a guidebook that suggests not just possible sites to visit and explore, but ways in which to think about whatand#39;s presented.andquot;andmdash;Karen Carcia, Wapsipinicon Almanac
Synopsis
The first American national museum designed and run by indigenous peoples, the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC opened in 2004. It represents both the United States as a singular nation and the myriad indigenous nations within its borders. Constructed with materials closely connected to Native communities across the continent, the museum contains more than 800,000 objects and three permanent galleries and routinely holds workshops and seminar series.
This first comprehensive look at the National Museum of the American Indian encompasses a variety of perspectives, including those of Natives and non-Natives, museum employees, and outside scholars across disciplines such as cultural studies and criticism, art history, history, museum studies, anthropology, ethnic studies, and Native American studies. The contributors engage in critical dialogues about key aspects of the museums origin, exhibits, significance, and the relationship between Native Americans and other related museums.
About the Author
Amy Lonetree (Ho-Chunk) is an assistant professor of American studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has conducted research on the representation of Indigenous peoples in both national and tribal museums and published articles in the
American Indian Quarterly and the
Public Historian. Amanda J. Cobb (Chickasaw), an associate professor of American studies at the University of New Mexico, oversees the Chickasaw Nations division of history and culture and serves as the editor of
American Indian Quarterly. Cobbs book,
Listening to Our Grandmothers Stories: The Bloomfield Academy for Chickasaw Females, 1852-1949, won the North American Indian Prose Award and the American Book Award, and is available in a Bison Books edition.
Contributors: Elizabeth Archuleta, Sonya Atalay, Janet Berlo, Mario Caro, Myla Vicenti Carpio, Cynthia Chavez, Amanda J. Cobb, Robin Maria Delugan, Patricia Pierce Erikson, Gwyneira Isaac, Ira Jacknis, Aldona Jonaitis, Amy Lonetree, Judith Ostrowitz, Ruth B. Phillips, Beverly Singer, Paul Chaat Smith, and Pauline Wakeham.