On the Indians' New World

I don’t have a huge amount to say about this work, but Merrell’s enthusiasm for the topic is contagious. In the introduction to the 20th anniversary edition, he seems so gregarious that it’s impossible not to like him.

Although earlier histories of Native Americans were released before this one, Merrell’s treatment of the topic makes me inclined to argue that he was basically the father of the “New Indian History”—at least, as much as that can be said about a white guy. Merrell takes American Indian life seriously and argues that, through contact with Europeans, they “discovered” a “New World” just as much as Europeans did. Pre-contact North America differed so considerably from post-contact that it may as well be unrecognizable. Merrell recognizes this, and puts forth a great study. The current top reviewer for this text, Michael, has done such a good job in his write-up that there’s nothing I can really add to what he has to say.