Being and Becoming Ute: The Story of an American Indian People

Good as to be expected

Extremely well thought-out and researched. Very interesting. I especially appreciate the objectivity and the way she looks at all sides of the issues.

Recommeded for everyone, especially those living in the southwestern United States.

Jones has now accomplished for the Ute nation what Pekka Hämäläinen accomplished several years ago for the Comanche empire. Indeed, in at least one respect she has accomplished even more. For whereas the Comanche had been widely known by name and reputation (although little beyond that) due to the US popular-culture tradition of “Westerns” in books, films, and television, the Ute have been little known outside the area of Utah and vicinity. Moreover, where something that might be called “Ute reputation” has existed, it has been, more often than not, prejudicial and derogatory to a degree exceeding the typical attitude of mainstream (white) US culture toward indigenous or “first nation” peoples. Jones’ book is very well written, easy to follow and understand. After a brief introduction, the next fifteen chapters tell of historical events and processes within the Ute nation, relations with surrounding populations, and major external events and processes as they affected Ute life. The timeline of those fifteen chapters runs mainly from the late eighteenth century to about 1970. Then two chapters bring the history more briefly to the present century. Jones’ balanced, highly detailed historical ethnography should be in every school library, in every county library, and on the shelves of any readers who are interested in histories of indigenous peoples of North America. Her book is a major contribution.