The environmental diversity of western North America is astounding--from the wind-scoured tundra of the high mountains to the seemingly desolate lowland deserts. No less remarkable is the record of plant usage by the various indigenous peoples who have been living there for more than twelve millennia. For the vast majority of this time, their livelihood--food, shelter, fuel, and medicine--depended on their knowledge and use of the plants that surrounded them.
The most comprehensive overview in more than half a century on the interconnectedness of people and plants, this book and its companion volume, " People and Plants in Ancient Eastern North America," present the latest information on three major topics: the uses of native plants, the history of crops and their uses, and the impact of humans on their environment. They not only contribute to our understanding of the lives of prehistoric people but also serve as guides for designing sustainable living today.

American Anthropologist, V64, No. 3, Part 2, Memoir 92. Additional Editor Is Harold C. Conklin.

American Anthropologist, V64, No. 3, Part 2, Memoir 92. Additional Editor Is Harold C. Conklin.

The monumental Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups is the most authoritative single source available on the history, culture, and distinctive characteristics of ethnic groups in the United States. The Dimensions of Ethnicity series is designed to make this landmark scholarship available to everyone in a series of handy paperbound student editions. Selections in this series will include outstanding articles that illuminate the social dynamics of a pluralistic nation or masterfully summarize the experience of key groups. Written by the best-qualified scholars in each field, Dimensions of Ethnicity titles reflect the complex interplay between assimilation and pluralism that is a central theme of the American experience. Here is a notably compact account of the diversity and complex cultures of Native Americans, with a special section on the history of federal policy.