The focus of these 1,200 entries is on shamanic healing as it has been observed and reported over the past 350 years. Entries cover renowned Native American healers throughout history; societies and divisions into which healers were categorized; sacred objects used in healing rituals; types of healing ceremonies; plants used to increase healing powers; symbolic motifs used in healing rituals; concepts that formed Native American healing traditions; and first-hand accounts by scholars of Native American healing. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Lyon (social welfare, Univ. of Kansas) here offers an excellent overview of shamanic healing, a topic that has been largely ignored in the reference literature. How Native Americans used medicinal plants is not treated, but to compensate Lyon includes an ethnobotany bibliography with 44 citations. Alphabetically arranged entries include the tribal origin of the topic as well as a culture area, which is keyed to the 15 maps so that readers can identify the location of a tribe's territory. One notable omission from the Southeast map is the Seminoles, whom the text repeatedly locates in that culture area. Recommended for academic collections in anthropology or Native American studies.John Burch, Cumberland Coll. Lib., Williamsburg, Ky. Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Lyon's large format, well-illustrated, handsomely produced book is the work of a researcher obviously well versed in Native American culture, customs, and rituals associated with health and healing. He has drawn many fascinating details from personal observation, interviews, and historical research. The excellent index is essential since the alphabetical arrangement of topics is incomplete; for instance, there are no separate entries for "Shaman" or "Vision Quest," although both subjects are treated fully throughout the volume. The very extensive bibliography should be especially useful to graduate and undergraduate students because most titles are readily accessible. Maps show the location of various tribes. Recommended for libraries that support Native American studies. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.