History Blogging

Also in yesterday's Weekend Journal was a small book review of a new edition of James Adair's The History of the American Indians, originally published in 1775. Adair lived among the Cherokees, Catawbas, Creeks, Choctaws and Chickasaws for 40 years as a deerskin trader and also served as an advisor to various southern colonial governors.

At least according to the review, Adair's account of his life among the Indians is an invaluable description of their day to day lives, although the first half of the book is devoted to Adair's theory that the Indians were Jewish in origin, descended from the lost tribes of Israel.

I'd be willing to bet that Steve-O knows something about this book, given his professional interest in the roots of American government, but it's new to me. Looks fascinating, though.