February 2019 Bookclub Recap

Edward S. Curtis' Canon de Chelly—Navajo (1904). (Library of Congress)

Dear Bookclub,

Timothy Egan's "Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher" has it all. A compelling story of a fascinating man while spanning an era of exciting exploration, industrial progress and the dark history of the demise of the North American Indian. Edward Curtis stole our hearts and imagination with his passion for preserving the culture of the Native Americans as it was rapidly disappearing, sparing no expense to his personal wealth, health or dignity. Did I mention family drama? Being friends with President Roosevelt?  Egan bundled it all with  J.P. Morgan, the advancement of photography, the history of Seattle, the exploration of Alaska, etc....  keeping us rapt while being entertained and educated. A perfect bookclub read!

North American Indian by Curtis, Volume 8, $22,000

Here is what a single volume of the original set looks like and can be yours for a little fortune:

https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/more-furniture-collectibles/collectibles-curiosities/books/north-american-indian-curtis-volume-8/id-f_12183643/











While researching where a set of the books may be found now, I discovered this  very interesting list of Curtis papers on the Online Archive of California:

https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8v69nrg/entire_text/

self-portrait, E. Curtis

Also, please enjoy this article from the Smithsonian and especially the four minute film embedded:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/edward-curtis-epic-project-to-photograph-native-americans-162523282/

Painting by Ojibwe artist Jim Denomie characterizes Edward Curtis as a paparazzi figure.

Finally, here is a great article, "A Critical Understanding of Edward Curtis's Photos of Native American Culture", inspired by the massive 2017 installation at the Muskegon Museum of Art displaying Edward Curtis’s entire ethnographic survey of surviving Native American culture at the turn of the 20th century. Again, an interesting take on the work and great pictures, of course, including the one above.

https://hyperallergic.com/383706/a-critical-understanding-of-edward-curtiss-photos-of-native-american-culture/


We missed Trudy very much and despite being down and out with the flu, she managed to send us suggestions for an upcoming read:

"Becoming" by Michelle Obama

"Theses Truths: A History of the U.S."  by Jill LePore

"The Immortalists" by Chloe Benjamin *chosen

Up next: Barbara Kingsolver's "Unsheltered"

Happy reading!
LK