Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England – William Cronon
It may just be impossible to overstate the importance of this book and its detailed but succinct uncovering of the way Indians and Europeans interacted with the land of New England and with each other, critically historizing all three characters. For use in a undergraduate course, even to frame a lecture, this book can be used to challenge students’ preconceived notions of static or ahistorical systems as dynamic, with all human characters endowed with agency. I’ve read this short volume countless times but I always find something new. I can’t wait to share it with my students.
