Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - January - 2005 Issue
Americana and The West from Arthur H. Clark
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Item 196, by James Boyd, is Recent Indian Wars, under the lead of Sitting Bull, and other chiefs; with a full account of the Messiah craze and Ghost dances. "Recent" it was, as this is a contemporary book, published in 1891, just a year after the massacre at Wounded Knee put down the last Indian uprising in America. $135. Another contemporary account of this last chapter of the Indian Wars comes from W. Fletcher Johnson: Life of Sitting Bull and History of the Indian War of 1890-'91: a graphic account of the life of the great Medicine Man and Chief Sitting Bull; his tragic death...This was also published around 1891, and this particular copy belonged to William C. Brown, author of "The Indian Side of the Story." Item 210. $220.
One of the leaders responsible for putting down the Indians at Wounded Knee was General Nelson Miles. Item 91 is his autobiography, Serving the Republic: Memoirs of the Civil and Military Life of Nelson A. Miles. General Miles gives one of the better accounts of a much earlier time, when he fought in the Civil War. His later role is less memorable. This book was published in 1911. $75.
As we observe the second centennial anniversary of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, item 236 brings us back to the first. Written by Olin Wheeler and published in 1904, this two-volume set is titled, The Trail of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1904... with a description of the old trail, based upon actual travel over it, and of the changes found a century later. The changes were dramatic, but this should be of particular interest to those who retrace the trail now, for the changes in the second century since the Expedition are undoubtedly far more notable. $650. A more recent retracing of the original journey comes from Ingvard Eide, who produced American Odyssey: The Journey of Lewis and Clark, in 1969. Eide, a photographer and student of Ansel Adams, spent two years and 57,000 miles retracing Lewis and Clark's journey and photographing the sites they saw 165 years later. Facsimiles of early maps are provided, and this copy is inscribed by the author. Item 227. $60.
For those with mechanical interests, item 173 is James H. Stephenson's Farm Engines and How to Run Them: The Young Engineer's Guide. This is a detailed practical guide to the workings of engines and boilers and includes sample questions for the examination to obtain an engineer's license. This should be helpful to anyone wanting learn how to maintain such engines, but only the earliest models since the book was published around 1910. $55.
The Arthur H. Clark Company may be found on the internet at www.ahclark.com and reached by phone at 800-842-9286.
