The Author

During the 1950s and '60s, the author (Vine Deloria Jr.) was a well known activist for Indian rights. He was born into a family of Christianized Indians, and for a time studied Christian theology himself. At the time of the book's writing, he was also studying law and actively involved in the Indian rights movement, having become elected (almost by default) into the directorship of The National Congress of American Indians (see "Objects/Places"). In short, the author has a clearly defined academic, spiritual and lived experience of what he was writing about (see "Style - Point of View").

Throughout the book, the author's writing is humorous but intense, pointedly witty but wise, well researched but not overly dry or intellectualized. It's both possible and reasonable to infer the nature of the author's character from the style in which he writes, but a brief consideration of...