Description
Book SynopsisBetween 1880 and 1940, Navajo and Ute families and westward-trending Anglos met in the “bullpens” of southwestern trading posts to barter for material goods. Robert McPherson reveals the ways that Navajo tradition fundamentally reshaped and defined trading practices in the Four Corners area of southeastern Utah and southwestern Colorado.
Trade ReviewIn
Both Sides of the Bullpen, Robert S. McPherson artfully and convincingly portrays the trading post experience from the Navajo side of the counter, and enriches our understanding of the viewpoint from the Anglo side. This fascinating read is an important book, full of human interest, real encounters, and remembrance of things past."" - Howard M. Bahr, editor of
The Navajo as Seen by the Franciscans, 1898 - 1921: A Sourcebook""Robert S. McPherson takes the seemingly straightforward process of trade to show the rhythms and patterns that structured exchanges. Based on his extensive research and understanding of Diné culture,
Both Sides of the Bullpen is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of trading posts; the products bought, sold, and pawned there; and the various communities that surrounded the posts."" - Erika Marie Bsumek, author of
Indian-Made: Navajo Culture in the Marketplace, 1868 - 1940""This book is an important resource and a readable treat for historians and students of intercultural communication, as well as casual readers. "" -
Utah Historical Quarterly
