Shadow Catcher: How Edward S. Curtis Documented American Indian Dignity and Beauty

by Michael Burgan

Overview

At the turn of the 20th century, photographer Edward S. Curtis devoted his life to learning all he could about American Indians and sharing it with world. He took his first photo of an American Indian in 1895, and for the next 30 years he traveled the West and north to Alaska to chronicle traditional native culture. The result was a magnificentand controversial20-volume project, The North American Indian. While some scholars and American Indians found fault with the work Curtis published, many others greatly appreciated it. His grand endeavor was nearly forgotten when he died in 1952, but Curtis' rediscovered photographs are now recognized as treasures that will live forever.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780756552718
Publisher:	Capstone Press
Publication date:	02/01/2015
Series:	Captured History Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	64
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Michael Burgan has written numerous books for children and young adults during his nearly 20 years as a freelance writer. Many of his books have focused on U.S. history, geography, and the lives of world leaders. He has also written fiction and adapted classic novels. Michael has won several awards for his writing, and his graphic novel version of the classic tale Frankenstein (Stone Arch Books) was a Junior Library Guild selection.  Michael has also worked as an editor at Weekly Reader, the classroom news magazine used in schools across the United States. Michael graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in history. When not writing for kids, he enjoys writing plays, and his works have been staged across the United States. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his cat, Callie.

Editorial Reviews

Over a period of more than 30 years beginning in 1895, photographer Edward S. Curtis chronicled the lives and customs of Native Americans across the Western United States. Curtis captured the rapidly vanishing Native American way of life in a massive 20-volume set of books titled "The North American Indian." His keen eye for light and shadow earned him the title "Shadow Catcher" from one Native American. With encouragement from President Theodore Roosevelt (whom he also photographed) and financial support from millionaire J. P. Morgan, Curtis devoted much of his adult life to completing this massive project, which one review termed "the most wonderful publishing enterprise ever undertaken in North America." Still, Curtis never gained financial success, and he died in 1952, at age 84, poor and relatively unknown. Readers will be mesmerized by this well-written account of this little-known but fascinating figure in American history. The book concludes with a timeline, glossary, list of further resources, and questions stated to support the Common Core State Standards. Reviewer: John Micklos, Jr.; Ages 10 to 12.

Children's Literature - John Micklos Jr.

04/01/2015
Gr 6 Up—These latest additions in this series are every bit as excellent as their predecessors. With The Golden Spike, Nardo explores the work of photographer Andrew J. Russell during the building of the transcontinental railroad. In addition to describing the mind-boggling obstacles faced by Russell and his team (toting equipment that was expensive, delicate, and cumbersome; the effects of the elements), Nardo frames the narrative within the wider story of Manifest Destiny, the destruction of nature, and the displacement of Native Americans. With Shadow Catcher, Burgan chronicles ethnologist and photographer Edward S. Curtis's commitment to chronicling the daily life of several Native American tribes for his massive book The North American Indian. Both books feature well-written and accessible text, but it is the stunning photography that will keep readers entranced. VERDICT Informative and downright gorgeous.

School Library Journal