GREENER FIELDS

An anthropologist-ethnologist tells her story of a woman's experience in what is a relatively new field. She begins with the accident of stumbling on the thing she wanted most to do, of how she went about the academic steps necessary, of the related fields that proved useful, of the techniques she used to get her material in field work. So much for the broad outline. The interest in the book lies in the human aspects of her story. Of her learning how to live with and know the Kiowa Indians who were her first project. Of the procedures by which she gained her end-- and made friends- and won confidence. Primitive religion proved a bit of a stumbling block, but through swapping stories she took that hurdle. The most important part of her book, for many readers, will be the chapter in which she upsets some generalizations about ""typical Indians"", and provides facts instead of misinformation about the relations between the Indians and the U S government, in regard to citizen rights, voting, taxes, etc. Her work for the government Indian service, as ethnologist, her valuable contribution to Indian arts and crafts, her research, all add up to an absorbing way of life. While not inspired in the telling, the substance is important.