Yet another great book, from the eminent Peter Nabokov, however I must take issue, from a Scholars point of view, this book is not written in the language or the vernacular or variegated perspective of Longfellow in his rendition of Hiawatha, ''Of his shoes, Minne Ha,Ha`, etc, what is missing is the transfusion of the Poetry of the language ,please dont misconstrue my meaning, I will reference the reader to one of the finest anthropological studies in the English Language T.E. Lawrence, in the Severn Pillars of Wisdom, he learned Arabic before he wrote the book, it still stands unsurpassed,in the translation of the ancient peoples of Arabia, their oral traditions, their social structure, their culture, their music, their fears, in fact their SOUL. The Chinook is translated as the Wind of the moving herds( of buffalo) this is what T.E. Lawrence grasped and Peter Nabokov has unfortunately, through no fault of his own has missed. Another is the Classic Author, Fitzgerald in the Rubyiat of Omar Khyam, which took years to translate from the Persians of Ancient Mesopotamia, and a few more years to interpret, even then, five more Authors translated the work ,and all were different .
So once again a Great Accolade to Peter Nabokov, a real pioneer of the prairie Indians. Heres another few, words from Ancient Peoples, in common day usage, Basmati Rice, ( the scented one, sent from the Hindu Kush).( Urdu.) Glenfydych Whisky, which is very old Gaelic for that which comes from the valley of the Deer. Then theres the Tornado , translated from a Mid West, Red Indian tribe, as Dead Men Walking. I think I,ve made my point, a lot of Historical, factual references, but I wont feel really convinced until the Red Indians start writing books, and Poetry, then the World will know exactly what they mean, after all, it was Geronimo who said, Our Laws of Life and Death,are exactly the same as Yours! Well done Peter!.