A Cherokee Encyclopedia by Robert J. Conley (review)

a fifth grader at Wilderness Oak Elementary in San Antonio, the film was “pretty cool,” especially the part about the discovery of human remains from La Belle and the CAT Scan results of brain tissue found within the skull. Students can view more commonly found artifacts like glass beads, muskets, ammunition, and ironware among the many items the French traded with local Karankawa Indians. The second film, “Dreams of Conquest,” examines the archeological investigation of Fort St. Louis and the man behind the doomed colonization scheme, French explorer René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, whose lack of military expertise and controversial character did not bode well for himself or his shortlived colony. Wheat-Stranahan’s guide incorporates innovative ways to prepare primary schoolchildren for both TEKS and life skills while being user-friendly. Above all, students and the public at large can experience how Texas has changed over time, and how it continues to engage in commerce, industry, and innovation for survival in the global, market-driven economy. Our Lady of the Lake University Francis X. Galán A Cherokee Encyclopedia. By Robert J. Conley. (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2007. Pp. 290. Illustrations, bibliographic essay. ISBN 978-082633 -951-5. $24.95,cloth.) Robert J. Conley, an enrolled member of the United Keetowah Band of Cherokees, researched and wrote A Cherokee Encyclopedia as a primer for a wide audience interested in Cherokee history and culture. According to Conley, his objective is to present “a quick reference to most things Cherokee: the several Cherokee nations that have appeared in history, people and places and things important to each of them, and individual Cherokees who have distinguished themselves in various walks of life and in different periods of Cherokee history” (p. 4). A Cherokee Encyclopedia has more than four hundred entries, from Abram of Chilhowie to Lewie Za-wa-na-skie. Conley pens entries on prominent towns, places, events, legislation, treaties, celebrations, and organizations. He also covers the various groups of Cherokees, including the Texas Cherokees, which have formed from several migrations over hundreds of years. Most of the entries, however , are short biographies of prominent Cherokee historical figures such as John Ross, the Ridges, Elias Boudinot, Stand Watie, and Junaluska, as well as important contemporary figures such as Wilma Mankiller, Chadwick Smith, and Joyce Dugan. Conley also includes entries on important Cherokee artists, musicians , writers, storytellers, athletes, and actors. A few important non-Cherokee figures are also noted, including David Crockett, Sam Houston, James Mooney, and William Holland Thomas. The length of each entry varies from a single sentence to more than ten pages, with John Ross commanding the longest entry. A Cherokee Encyclopedia is a nice addition to Cherokee scholarship. The quality and usefulness of individual entries, however, varies, which is common in an encyclopedic work. Conley draws upon most, though not all, of the vast second2009 Book Reviews 317 *jan 09 11/26/08 12:00 PM Page 317 ary literature on the Cherokees, and he includes a useful bibliographic essay. The author generally maintains his objectivity throughout, focusing on the factual information (who, what, when, and where). Overall, Conley does a fine job of striking both a chronological and geographical balance in A Cherokee Encyclopedia, devoting ample space to twentieth-century Cherokee people, who are often overlooked in favor of their ancestors, particularly those who suffered through the removal era. Moreover, the Eastern Band of Cherokees of western North Carolina receive more attention here than usual. The work, however, is not without minor problems. A few of the nonbiographical entries are too short and general to be helpful to many readers. Furthermore, topics such as Worldview, Cherokee Culture, and Weapons are likely not of much assistance for readers unfamiliar with the Cherokees, and some experts may find them, and a few other entries, to be so general as to be misleading . Nevertheless, Conley has compiled an impressive list of Cherokee people, places, and events. And the entries are concise, accessible, and well written. Consequently, Conley achieves his primary goal: A Cherokee Encyclopedia is, indeed, a handy reference for those interested in Cherokee history, culture, and people. East Carolina University Christopher Arris Oakley Goliad: The Other...