The Southeastern Indians

This book, which was written by Charles Hudson and published in 1976, is an anthropological and historic classic that's still useful and a good read for many reasons. First, Hudson covers all aspects of the lives of the Native American peoples of the Southeast in great detail, including their history, social and political structures, systems of belief, their art, recreation, and other aspects that make up the whole of their cultures. While new research has added to our understanding of Native American cultures of the Southeast since Hudson wrote this work, much of his work is still basic and useful as a "starting point" for more modern studies. Second, Hudson tries to synthesize and provide a comparative treatment of the many cultures within this region, noting the points of similarity between their cultural practices and patterns. While this could potentially obscure the rich and significant differences which existed between the many peoples of the region - such as those between the Mississippian cultures and groups like the Timucua and Calusa which existed outside the Mississippian cultural orbit - it is helpful to realize the common patterns within the larger cultural area of the Southeast. Third, Hudson, in my opinion, writes in a clear and readable style which is very useful for both the anthropologist and the interested layperson (obviously, I disagree with the other reviewer on this point.) I highly recommend this book as a good and helpful addition to the library of anyone interested in Native American studies, American history, or anthropology.

This book is slow going. It is full of details excellent for anyone researching Southeastern Native tribes. Not a good book for the casual, armchair historian.