1971 University of California Press 14th printing trade paperback of the 1961 bio of the iconic last wild California native American who made his presence known in 1911. I found this copy some weeks ago in the free books pile on the porch of Dimond Library.

Edit August 13, 2010: Reserved for linguistkris, to be in San Francisco from Austria, for the Fall term, as of September.

Edit September 8, 2010: This was a terrific and touching bio. And a fascinating look at the early modern Bay Area and northern California foothills.

... in a bag-o-books for linguistkris.

Aside from loving shared books, my main passion in life is supporting the human rights work of my good friend, Anni Cyrus. 💖 💖 Her life story of survival as a childhood refugee is astounding, and quite moving!

Please look her up on Google and YouTube. You can also follow her on Facebook and Instagram, among other platforms.

I've been fascinated by Ishi's case for as long as I've been a(n aspiring) field linguist, and remain so even after I've changed paths. Weather permitting, I suppose the ideal place to read this would be Ishi Court or any of his haunts around the Berkeley campus. Very much looking forward.

Edit: a truly remarkable book, doing justice to the remarkable tale it tells. While on occasion, its age did show, and Kroeber's prose was too flowery and full of pathos for my liking, that hardly mattered towards the overall impression of amazement, sadness and deep wonder. The world is a richer place for not having lost Ishi's story.
Somewhere on my tbr pile at home I have a copy of Saxton Pope's "Hunting with Bow and Arrow" that has been waiting to be read for years; I will look at it with different eyes now.

Left with L.