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Man's Rise to Civilization as Shown by the Indians of North America from Primeval Times to the Coming of the Industrial State
The publication of this book in 1968 marked the first comprehensive examination of the history and culture of native Americans. Today this work continues to stand as one of the major summaries of the indigenous societies of North America with its explication of such universal subjects as monotheism, war, capitalism, and sex.
332 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1968
15 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
About the author
Peter Farb
66 books15 followersPeter Farb (1929 - 1980) was an American author, anthropologist, linguist, environmentalist, biologist, and spokesman for conservation.
In 1950, he graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University. He attended Columbia University graduate school from 1950 to 1951.
Peter Farb was a freelance writer in the areas of the natural and human sciences for many years, authoring many acclaimed books, including several books for young readers, and columns in national magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, and Reader’s Digest. President John F. Kennedy's Secretary of the Interior, Stuart L. Udall described him as a "... young man with a consuming interest in the land and living things ... one of the finest conservation spokesmen of our period."
In 1950, he graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University. He attended Columbia University graduate school from 1950 to 1951.
Peter Farb was a freelance writer in the areas of the natural and human sciences for many years, authoring many acclaimed books, including several books for young readers, and columns in national magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, and Reader’s Digest. President John F. Kennedy's Secretary of the Interior, Stuart L. Udall described him as a "... young man with a consuming interest in the land and living things ... one of the finest conservation spokesmen of our period."
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 11, 2014
The only reason I gave this dangerous and wrongheaded mess a star is so that goodreads could tell that I had rated it. How bad is it? Let's see: Farb states that the Mandan are extinct (they'll be pleased to know) that Plains Indians are imaginary (likewise) and that Sitting Bull was killed by accident. By accident. Need I say more? OK. The original foreward to this evil pretense read, "...beginning with the most pitiful and primitive
Indians found by explorers, the Digger Indians of Nevada and Utah, Mr. Farb shows that even they are much above the highest non-human primates" Even they.
Some of the reviewers here have called this a work of anthropology. It is not. It is half-baked philosophy invented whole cloth and Mr. Farb was no anthropologist.
He was a writer of childrens' books (look it up) who had rich and powerful friends. Given that former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall endorsed the book because it flattered his genocidal policies, this book has done irreparable harm to First Nations. Approach this turkey with extreme caution.
Indians found by explorers, the Digger Indians of Nevada and Utah, Mr. Farb shows that even they are much above the highest non-human primates" Even they.
Some of the reviewers here have called this a work of anthropology. It is not. It is half-baked philosophy invented whole cloth and Mr. Farb was no anthropologist.
He was a writer of childrens' books (look it up) who had rich and powerful friends. Given that former Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall endorsed the book because it flattered his genocidal policies, this book has done irreparable harm to First Nations. Approach this turkey with extreme caution.
August 24, 2023
An older work that I understand to be considered outdated in parts and possibly offensive to the modern reader--I appreciate GR reviewers' mentioning other titles in their reviews and comments. Mr. Farb's writing was easy for me to understand and to learn about anthropology in general and Native culture in North America.
December 29, 2012
AWESOME!!! The title is actually a sarcastic commentary on the "whitewashing" of the continent. A few quotes from the book follow:
"Today's American bemoans the extermination of the passenger pigeon and the threatened extinction of the whooping crane and the ivory-billed woodpecker; he contributes to conservation organizations that seek to preserve the Hawaiian goose, the sea otter of the Aleutian Islands, the lizard of the Galápagos Islands.
"But who ever shed a tear over the loss of native American cultures? Who laments the Pequot of Connecticut, the Beothuk of Newfoundland, the Mandan of the plains, the bands of Baja California, all now extinct? Who would recollect the Delaware Indians if their name were not also that of a state? Who now cares that in 1916 Ishi, the last Yahi Indian of California ever to tread the earth, died in a museum of anthropology in San Francisco? No Society for the Preservation of the Yahi was ever established, nor was a dollar ever raised to conserve the cultures of the Kickapoo and the Peoria Indians. Millions of dollars have been expended to excavate and transport to museums the tools, weapons, and other artifacts of Indians - but scarcely a penny has been spent to save the living descendants of those who made them. Modern man is prompt to prevent cruelty to animals, and sometimes even to humans, but no counterpart of the Humane Society or the Sierra Club exists to prevent cruelty to entire cultures."
"Today's American bemoans the extermination of the passenger pigeon and the threatened extinction of the whooping crane and the ivory-billed woodpecker; he contributes to conservation organizations that seek to preserve the Hawaiian goose, the sea otter of the Aleutian Islands, the lizard of the Galápagos Islands.
"But who ever shed a tear over the loss of native American cultures? Who laments the Pequot of Connecticut, the Beothuk of Newfoundland, the Mandan of the plains, the bands of Baja California, all now extinct? Who would recollect the Delaware Indians if their name were not also that of a state? Who now cares that in 1916 Ishi, the last Yahi Indian of California ever to tread the earth, died in a museum of anthropology in San Francisco? No Society for the Preservation of the Yahi was ever established, nor was a dollar ever raised to conserve the cultures of the Kickapoo and the Peoria Indians. Millions of dollars have been expended to excavate and transport to museums the tools, weapons, and other artifacts of Indians - but scarcely a penny has been spent to save the living descendants of those who made them. Modern man is prompt to prevent cruelty to animals, and sometimes even to humans, but no counterpart of the Humane Society or the Sierra Club exists to prevent cruelty to entire cultures."
February 25, 2016
Please read Vine Deloria Jr's book Custer Died for Your Sins, chapter 4 to get an understanding of the damage this book has done in its perpetuation of negative stereotypes and misportrayal of indigenous peoples in the U.S.
Aka hogwash. (Should be zero stars, but not an option)
Aka hogwash. (Should be zero stars, but not an option)
January 10, 2013
A great piece of anthropological analysis. As interesting as it is informative, Peter Farb had a gift for eloquent presentation as well as academic and integrative thought.
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June 29, 2019I feel compelled to balance out some of the more politicized reviews here because I think its alleged propagandist motivations have been exaggerated. I would NOT recommended this book as a detailed or comprehensive survey of Native American culture. It's a work of comparative anthropology in the "neoevolutionist" tradition. The sociopolitical attributes of various Native American tribes are summarized selectively and arranged sequentially to support the author's hypothesis of unilineal sociopolitical development as a kind of inevitability. Underpinnng the entire work is an implicit comparison to the political structure of the modern day United States which, it is presumed, must be the culmination of a similar but earlier and undocumented trajectory.
This is a concept that reeks of ethnocentrism, sure, and some of his language is insensitive and horribly dated (to be fair, Deloria's book, which someone recommended below for its criticisms of Farb, is a real time capsule with its own strong biases as well). To his credit, though, Peter Farb is quick to dismiss idealized images of hunter-gatherers or "early man" as "inherent conservationists" of nature and natural resources, as well as to underscore the illegitimacy of lumping together disparate and diverse societies under an umbrella of 'Pan-Indian' culture. Compared to similar works of neoevolutionist comparative anthropology, it's written more for the "layperson." If this kind of thing appeals to you, I would recommend reading this book. The basic premise- that we can make inferences about the distant past based on recent history and personal experience- is worthy of consideration, as is the difference between this approach and genuine research. Classen and Sklanik's 'The Early State' (1978) presents some similar theories and speculation in a more academic framework, and would be a more appropriate and relevant alternative to this title than anything I've read on Native Americans. If you want to learn more about Native American societies in any detail, however, you're in the wrong ballpark altogether.
This is a concept that reeks of ethnocentrism, sure, and some of his language is insensitive and horribly dated (to be fair, Deloria's book, which someone recommended below for its criticisms of Farb, is a real time capsule with its own strong biases as well). To his credit, though, Peter Farb is quick to dismiss idealized images of hunter-gatherers or "early man" as "inherent conservationists" of nature and natural resources, as well as to underscore the illegitimacy of lumping together disparate and diverse societies under an umbrella of 'Pan-Indian' culture. Compared to similar works of neoevolutionist comparative anthropology, it's written more for the "layperson." If this kind of thing appeals to you, I would recommend reading this book. The basic premise- that we can make inferences about the distant past based on recent history and personal experience- is worthy of consideration, as is the difference between this approach and genuine research. Classen and Sklanik's 'The Early State' (1978) presents some similar theories and speculation in a more academic framework, and would be a more appropriate and relevant alternative to this title than anything I've read on Native Americans. If you want to learn more about Native American societies in any detail, however, you're in the wrong ballpark altogether.
September 27, 2016
This is a good overview of the various Native American cultures throughout history. It is well-written, detailed, and intriguing. It helped me appreciate the amazing diversity of culture that existed on this continent before the Europeans conquered it, as well as all the hard work by archaeologists and anthropologists that went into uncovering it. The amount of detail they were uncover from these cultures, some of which were long gone before they came around, is astonishing. Still, so much is sadly and tragically lost.
At the end, this book covers a bit of pre-historic cultures in America, as well as some of the ways they've tried to cope with the conquest. It was heartbreaking to read some of it. It was fairly blunt about some of the cruelty of the Europeans without demonizing them. As the book points out a few times, you'll see these kinds of behavior in any conquering nation toward another throughout history. It's one of the most embarrassing realities of human history.
This book was written in the 60's, so some of it is a little outdated, especially when it talks about "recent events." Most noticeable was the use of the word "Indian" to describe the Native Americans, and Whites to describe the conquerors. But, whatever. People get too worked up over political correctness anyway. It was just strange to see the word "Indian" because I kept thinking of people from India!
Anyway, this is a solid book. Anyone who wants to consider themselves versed in history and culture really should read it.
At the end, this book covers a bit of pre-historic cultures in America, as well as some of the ways they've tried to cope with the conquest. It was heartbreaking to read some of it. It was fairly blunt about some of the cruelty of the Europeans without demonizing them. As the book points out a few times, you'll see these kinds of behavior in any conquering nation toward another throughout history. It's one of the most embarrassing realities of human history.
This book was written in the 60's, so some of it is a little outdated, especially when it talks about "recent events." Most noticeable was the use of the word "Indian" to describe the Native Americans, and Whites to describe the conquerors. But, whatever. People get too worked up over political correctness anyway. It was just strange to see the word "Indian" because I kept thinking of people from India!
Anyway, this is a solid book. Anyone who wants to consider themselves versed in history and culture really should read it.
July 30, 2017
Best quote "To do nothing now (speaking of preserving Indian culture) is to let our children lament that they never knew the magnificent diversity of humankind because our generation let disappear those cultures that might have taught it to them." Farb gives a moving and researched opinion stating that Indians should be allowed to do as they wish and as their culture dictates.
This was a great book if you are interested in learning more about different types of Indians and how they were viewed in the 1500s, 1600s, and later by Farb in 1968 and by his sources in the 1930s and 1950s. This isn't an all encompassing work and should be read with an open mind since new historical information is always appearing, but it is still a great work containing intricate descriptions of Indian society and interesting pieces of Indian culture.
This was a great book if you are interested in learning more about different types of Indians and how they were viewed in the 1500s, 1600s, and later by Farb in 1968 and by his sources in the 1930s and 1950s. This isn't an all encompassing work and should be read with an open mind since new historical information is always appearing, but it is still a great work containing intricate descriptions of Indian society and interesting pieces of Indian culture.
July 31, 2014
The best book I've ever read about Native Americans before Columbus. It's packed with everything from the band to the state, food, social structure, status of women, child rearing, etc. etc. It is a wonderful book!
Currently reading
May 11, 2012One of the best books I've read on understanding humans, proper!
June 22, 2013
Masterful review of past and recent theories of social and cultural development of civilizations in North and Central America.
August 25, 2023
This classic history of Native Americans in North America begins by explaining the origins of life in the Americas and ends with the near destruction of a culture by the 1900s. Farb promotes the theory of cultural evolution but within environmental boundaries or guardrails. He explains that it is not individual leaders that advance a culture but technological inventions or innovations to the culture, environment, other societies around. An example is the Plains Indians and the adaption of the horse to a changing lifestyle. Farb also talks about cultural convergence where different societies absorb and pass on cultural traits. One needs only to look at the current border with the US and Mexico for many examples of this convergence. Farb also explains that changes have occurred over thousands of years due to genetic drift. He also points out that probably the Puritans were the worst people in dealing with Native Americans, even worse than the Spanish or French. Through history an image of Native Americans by Whites changed for the worse from the “Noble Savage” to stubborn animal to be eliminated. An example would be the Trail of Tears or the Long Walk or the near destruction of the Sioux people by 1890. Finally, Farb looks at some responses made in modern times by Native Americans in their struggle to survive and find some sort of hope in resisting White cultural domination. Examples discussed are: Revivalistic movements, the Dreamers, the Ghost Dance, accommodation, rise of Messiahs, and finally the preservation and pride in a culture. Though written in 1968, this classic is a must read commentary on who the Native Americans were and what happened to their culture.
October 6, 2019
Ostensible a popular work of anthropology covering the arc of cultural development among North America's aboriginal peoples, I found this a deeper, more enlightening, and even more ambition work. Generally, the historical analysis of the varied peoples from Inuit to Aztec suggests the diverse and varied peoples of N.A. survived through a combination of moieties and exogamy in band/tribal scenarios that fostered strength through cooperation and diversity.
Some interesting things were compelling indictments of the scholarship of Patterns of Culture, further eroding my believe in the simplistic Apollonian-Dionysian model.
I found the analysis of Cortes vs. the Aztecs also interesting - the hated and cruel Aztec empire tottering under intrigue, fear, and loathsome human sacrifice collapsed under the weight of smallpox and a lack of central authority.
Generally the history of the decline of this most genetically homogenous of races (undercutting many racial purity arguments) into phases such as nativism and religious fanaticism to too-late violence resulting in accomodation and evaporation can be painful and important lessons from the human experience.
Some interesting things were compelling indictments of the scholarship of Patterns of Culture, further eroding my believe in the simplistic Apollonian-Dionysian model.
I found the analysis of Cortes vs. the Aztecs also interesting - the hated and cruel Aztec empire tottering under intrigue, fear, and loathsome human sacrifice collapsed under the weight of smallpox and a lack of central authority.
Generally the history of the decline of this most genetically homogenous of races (undercutting many racial purity arguments) into phases such as nativism and religious fanaticism to too-late violence resulting in accomodation and evaporation can be painful and important lessons from the human experience.
August 21, 2023
A broad look at a variety of Native American cultures in the context of complexity--from band to tribe, chiefdom, and finally state--with attention paid to cultural evolution, history, technology, and interactions with both neighbors and invaders.
June 5, 2018
A thoughtful and enlightening book that is somewhat outdated in ideas and facts.
July 17, 2011
I first read this book in the late '60s early 70s - it was awesome! It takes the Americas and treats them as a test-tube. It looks at Native American societies and analyses the development of cultures and society as a series of advances from primitive tribe to sophisticated empire. It relates these advances to the local response to the environment and forces acting upon these societies. The book is full of fascinating facts and leaves one with the feeling that one has really begun to understand how societies function and develop. If this isn't a must-read I'd like to know what possibly could be.
August 12, 2011
An insightful and thought-provoking discussion of the failures of modern social structures and why they will fail ... and who will survive. I was intrigued both by the idea and the ultimate concept that the simpler, poorer (?) way of life will continue through all but the destruction of life as we know it. I don't often pick up a book on anthropology but this was really really good.
August 18, 2025
Great book, which I read decades ago. May read it again.
UPDATE: Second reading complete on August 17, 2025. Certainly outdated, inaccurate and mayvbe a bit insensitive on some facts, but still well worth the read (or re-read). Unfortunately I never could find much info on the author and his qualifications.
Cover photo is not the same as the 1969 Avon paperback edition I have.
UPDATE: Second reading complete on August 17, 2025. Certainly outdated, inaccurate and mayvbe a bit insensitive on some facts, but still well worth the read (or re-read). Unfortunately I never could find much info on the author and his qualifications.
Cover photo is not the same as the 1969 Avon paperback edition I have.
February 18, 2008
anthropology
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews