IN A SACRED MANNER I LIVE

Carefully selected, sepia-toned archival photographs of Native Americans draw readers in with their haunting beauty, and reflect aspects of ancient stories. Philip, in what is essentially a companion book to Earth Always Endures (1996), offers a lovely book to browse, full of words that have been passed down, from elder to younger, in moving text and pictures, further supported by captions and notes. He covers almost four centuries of philosophical musings, from Chief Powhatan in 1609, to the contemporary Sioux medicine man Leonard Crow Dog in 1995, and in the process illustrates the harmony and tradition of Native American culture. The photographs make additional points: There is artistry in the tipis, with their bold scenes of horses in flight, and grace in the designs of the sand paintings. In such a meticulous gathering, traditional values and beliefs emerge for contemporary readers: To live in a sacred manner is to take pleasure in being alive in the moment and in the world. (Sepia photos, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 10+)