Bright and early Saturday morning we’ll be heading to Billings for our 2:00 pm signing at the Barnes & Nobel on 24th Street. While we’re there we’ll give a lecture on the impacts the League of the Iroquois had on our modern world. Those of you reading the PEOPLE OF THE LONGHOUSE series which also includes DAWN COUNTRY and the latest release, BROKEN LAND have already read the nonfiction forwards and understand the impact that Native American notions of one person, one vote, referendum and recall, even the concept of confederations, of “united states” had on the formation of our society.
Europeans arriving on the American shores were indoctrinated to believe in a concept called the “Divine Right” of kings. Supported, obviously, by the church, the belief was that God granted rulership to specific individuals and families. There was no way to challenge God’s will in the matter, unless you bought that right through the church. It was the natural order of things, and all power flowed down from the throne.
Until Europeans stumbled across the Americas where the indigneous nations for the most part hadn’t heard of any such system. The shock waves rolled back across the seas, upsetting, well, just about everyone. After all, if the entire world didn’t run the way Europe did, why not? And what else might kings and the church have gotten wrong? How could they have missed an entire half of the globe? Once people started to ask questions, folks like Martin Luther posted his theses, and revolutions were born.
Nor did it stop there. As late at the 1860s a young political scientist named Karl Marx picked up a copy of Louis Henry Morgan’s LEAGUE OF THE IROQUOIS and read with amazement how wealth was redistributed among the Iroquois. This notion of redistribution of resources was mixed with his historical thesis and economics in a book called DAS KAPITAL. And look where that ended up!
So, yes, there will be four books in the PEOPLE OF THE LONGHOUSE series. A mini series within a series. Why?
Because the subject is worthy of it.
6 thoughts on “On Book Signings”
January 31, 2012 at 7:49 am
Hello, Just repeating my urging of a Cherokee People book – the Cherokee had a complicated representational government early on, and an interesting migration into the Blue Ridge where they dominated the middle south. Seems to be a natural progression from the Iroquois. Thanks, Ken
February 5, 2012 at 11:58 am
I was in Billings the day you were there and I can’t believe I missed you. I have almost everything you’ve written. When you travel through the Southwest in the Spring check out the Pimas and Tohono O’otham. You haven’t written about them yet. My husband is Tohono O’otham and we live on their Reservation and I work on the Pima Reservation-Gila River.
February 15, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Hi there…
I was just wondering, if I live in Canada, what do I do if I would like to send a book to you to be signed? I know I am to prepare a stamped, self addressed envelope, howver, when I went to the post office they said they couldnt do it because they dont sell american stamps :O( any suggestions? I would have posted this on your facebook page, but I’m trying to do this sneakily for a friend, and she checks that page frequently, I’m hoping she wont notice this question on your blog.
Thanks! :O)
February 19, 2012 at 6:52 am
Dear Heather:
Since we can’t tell you either, we’d suggest dropping a five-loonie note in. Either it will cover it, or we’ll happily donate the difference. Just send us the book or books and we’ll make it happen.
Thanks so much!
February 19, 2012 at 7:04 am
Dear Cindy: We’re sorry we missed you, too! We had a great signing that day. For two hours we talked archaeology, the Iroquois, and how Native ideas made the American identity the unique thing that it is. And, yes, we’ve wanted and planned for years to write a novel about the Hohokam and their magnificent civilization–as well as why it collasped cataclysmically in 1389. Also remarkable, they absorbed tens of thousands of refugees from the Pueblo collapse up north, integrated them into the society, and flourished for over a hundred years until the climate and population pressure conspired to let them down. We’ve just got to get the time! Thanks for your kind words. Give everyone down there our best wishes.
February 19, 2012 at 7:15 am
Dear Kenneth: You’re right. And not only that, from the linquistic data, Iroquois and Cherokee were once one people who split about 3,500 years ago. Assuming, that is, that the glottochronologists got their statistical analysis correct. And yes, eventually we’ll do a Cherokee book. Kathy’s ancestors are staring crossly down through time at us, tapping their toes in irritation. We were deligted when we found them on the roles last time we were in Cherokee.