Author Description

This book tries to strike a balance between honoring the cultures of indigenous peoples and describing the grim fate so many suffered during the era of European colonialism. The story of European conquest and exploration is often told in terms of conflict between competing European nations. A history of the Boer Wars, for example, typically tallies the losses suffered by the Boers and the British. Often omitted is the toll these wars took on the indigenous people of the area. Likewise, French Guiana, the penal colony in which the legendary Devil's Island is located, is described usually in terms of the brutality suffered by the prisoners. Rarely mentioned is the devastation suffered by the indigenous people of Guiana. Exploration and Conquest: Stories of Indigenous Peoples goes around the world. So many different peoples suffered under European colonialism that only a representative few could be covered. However, these do convey an impression of grave indifference to life and even genocide under colonial rule. The book is filled with photos and illustrations that bring the stories of indigenous peoples to life. There are maps, also, to show the vast territories that were the bounty of war and colonization. The book is appropriate for mature readers, including high school students.