The People: Indians of the American Southwest

by Stephen Trimble

Fifty Indian nations lie within the modern American Southwest, communities sustained through four centuries of European and American contact by their cultural traditions and ties to the land. In The People , Stephen Trimble provides an introduction to these Native peoples that is unrivaled in its scope and readability. Graced with an absorbing, well-researched text, a wealth of maps and historic photographs, and the author's penetrating contemporary portraits and landscapes, The People is the indispensable reference for anyone interested in the Indians of the Southwest.

Genres: History, Native American

536 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

As writer, editor, and photographer, Stephen Trimble has published 25 award-winning books during 45 years of paying attention to the landscapes and peoples of the Desert West. He’s received The Sierra Club's Ansel Adams Award for photography and conservation and a Doctor of Humane Letters from his alma mater, Colorado College. In 2019, he was honored as one of Utah’s 15 most influential artists.

Trimble speaks and writes as a conservation advocate and has taught writing at the University of Utah. He makes his home in Salt Lake City and in the redrock country of Torrey, Utah. Environmental historian James Aton has said: Trimble's books comprise one of the most well-rounded, sustained, and profound visions of people and landscape that we have ever seen in the American West.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource for anyone who lives or travels in the Southwest, or has an interest in American Indian history and culture. I have studied Southwest tribes before and I still learned a lot. I read it slowly as each section deals with a different tribe with its own unique history and contemporary issues. I will certainly refer to this again in the future.

[Lorraine McCleary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice reference book to peoples of the SW. I made it through the overview and the Pueblo people before my dog ate the entire corner off of the book-so had to return it and pay to replace-sigh. The other chapters dealt with the other Indians of the SW. I will use it for referral in the future.

[Socraticgadfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trimble gives careful, in-depth and complete descriptions of each tribe of the Southwest (here defined as New Mexico, Arizona, southern Utah and Colorado and southeastern California). Each tribe is studied on its own grounds except to develop linguistic and other inter-tribal connections.

Even if you are familiar with major tribes such as the Navajo, Apache and the best-known Puebloan peoples, Trimble still has a wealth of information for you.

A decade of research and a number of photographs by Trimble himself underscore the interest, depth and care he brings to this book and the tribes of his study.

An invaluable bonus at the end is Trimble's calendar of major religious ceremonies of the various tribes, a helpful vacation planning assistant.
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