Manituana

by Wu Ming

Book Overview

A bloody historical epic of exodus and return, torn loyalties and desperate battles, Manituana spans the Atlantic, from the forests of America's northeast to the underworld of eighteenth-century... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1844673421
• ISBN13: 9781844673421
• Release Date: October 2009
• Publisher: Verso
• Length: 392 Pages
• Weight: 1.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A different version of the Revolutionary War

This is not the story we learned in grade school about the Revolutionary War. In the 1700's the Six Nations of the Iroquois (Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora) had a remarkably advanced system of laws. It was also a common practice to take captives from other tribes into their culture. The Six Nations lived peaceably with the white settlers and intermarriage was not unknown. Leaders of the Six Tribes met with and were respected by the British. However, as more and more white settlers moved into the Indian territories, tensions arose. But even more complicating was the tension that was developing between the American colonies and Britain. The Indians did not understand the whites rebelling against the Great King in Britain. Chief Joseph Brandt as leader of the Mohawks finds himself in an increasingly difficult position. History slowly unfolds taking Joseph eventually to England for a meeting with the King. Part Two is an interesting, sometimes humorous, depiction of the Indians stay in England complete with British thugs posing as the "seventh nation of the Indian tribe". The last part of the novel dissolves into raw violence between the Indians fighting the Rebels. Peopled with characters as Ethan Allen, King George, and Sir William Johnson, the novel provides a wide panorama of the US fight for independence. Although somewhat difficult to follow at the beginning of the book (both the Indian name and the Anglo name is often used interchangeably), the story soon becomes gripping. The really short chapters seemed to fit the story perfectly. "Manituana" is an excellent example of how complicated history really is. I knew nothing about the "authors" of this title and find it totally fascinating that a "collective of Italian fiction writers" could paint such a vivid picture of America's history from an angle that few have considered before. If you enjoy historical fiction, check this one out.