[.ca] Beauty, Honor, and Tradition: The Legacy of Plains ... (ISBN 0816639477)

magnificent, breathtaking:
over the past several years, i have read and acquired a good number of books about indian beadwork. all have included at least one or two war shirts. none of them prepared me for the overwhelming impact of this book. war shirts were given to the men of the plains nations for remarkable courage and character and for impressive deeds. the shirts would be transferred to other men of equal standing. the designs were worked by women who were unusually talented in quill and bead embroidery. occasionally, the design of the shirt would be directed by the man to wear it, based on his dreams/visions. since it is oversized, the book allows larger, more detailed photos of the shirts. quillwork, paint, beads and other materials show up clearly. the workmanship is stunning, the designs are magnificent. the use of materials is inspirational. the examples range from the early 19th century to contemorary shirts. the text, aside from a couple of areas where the proofreader failed miserably in his job, is almost as interesting as the shirts. this is not to insult the authors. no words could equal the shirts. there are also quotes from contemporary indians about the shirts that are interesting and illuminating. if this book had been published by abrams, the price would have been at least doubled. given the quality of the photos, that fact alone is worth a couple of stars. this is a must for anyone interested in indian beadwork, history or art and for anyone interested in beauty and great design of any origin.