Non-Fiction Books
The dramatic story of the Cherokee people has long captivated appreciators of American history. In ""Cherokee,"" the history and culture of one of the most resilient original peoples of the United States is brought to life through spectacular photography and vivid prose. The Cherokees' poignant story is one that is difficult to believe: from their shameful treatment at the hands of the Colonial settlers, to their ""Removal"" west over the Trail of Tears in the 1800s, to their resurgence and current prosperity as a distinct nation. Presented in this elegant volume, the tale of the Cherokees' courage and endurance is at once remarkable, stirring, and enlightening. Author Robert J. Conley recounts the history and struggle of the Cherokee and offers a window into today's Cherokee culture in moving detail. Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chadwick Smith provides an eloquent introduction to the book. The stunning photography of David G. Fitzgerald portrays the land and lifeways of these proud people, including many powerful portraits of contemporary individuals.
A modern medicine man portrayed through the words of the people he has helped Robert J. Conley did not set out to chronicle the life of Cherokee medicine man John Little Bear. Instead, the medicine man came to him. Little Bear asked Conley to write down his story, to reveal to the world “what Indian medicine is really about.” For Little Bear, as for the Cherokee ancestors who brought their traditions over the Trail of Tears to Indian Territory, the medicine is about helping people. Visitors from neighboring states and Mexico come to him, each one seeking help for a different kind of problem. Each seeker’s story is presented here exactly as it was told to Conley. Little Bear has cured problems involving health, relationships, and money by uncovering the source of the problem rather than simply treating the symptoms. Whereas mainstream medicine and counseling have failed his patients, Little Bear’s healing practices have proven beneficial time and again.
Robert Conley's history of the Cherokees is the first to be endorsed by the Cherokee Nation and to be written by a Cherokee.
Conley has compiled a guide to historical and contemporary members of the Cherokee tribe and their roles in their clans and nations.
Gaming and chiefing. Imposters and freedmen. Distinguished novelist Robert J. Conley examines some of the most interesting facets of the Cherokee world. In 26 essays laced with humor, understatement, even open sarcasm, this popular writer takes on politics, culture, his people’s history, and what it means to be Cherokee. Readers who think they know Conley will find an abundance of surprises in these pages. He reveals historical information not widely known or written about, such as Cherokee Confederate general Stand Watie’s involvement in the infamous Reconstruction treaty forced upon his people in 1866, and he explains his admiration for such characters as Ned Christie and Henry Starr, whom some might consider criminals. From legendary figures Dragging Canoe and Nancy Ward to popular icons like Will Rogers to contemporary “Cherokee Wannabes”—people seeking ancestral roots whether actual or fanciful—Conley traces the dogged persistence of the Cherokee people in the face of relentless incursions upon their land and culture. “Cherokees are used to controversy,” observes Conley; “in fact, they enjoy it.” As provocative as it is entertaining, Cherokee Thoughts will intrigue tribal members and anyone with an interest in the Cherokee people.