<DIV>Many different Indian tribes have lived in Iowa, each existing as an independent nation with its own history, culture, language, and traditions. Some were residents before recorded time; some lived in Iowa for relatively short periods but played memorable roles in the state&rsquo;s history; others visited Iowa mostly during hunting trips or times of war. Stimulating and informative, Lance Foster&rsquo;s <i>The Indians of Iowa </i>is the only book for the general reader that covers the archaeology, history, and culture of all the different native nations that have called Iowa home from prehistory to the present.<BR><br> Foster begins with a history of Lewis and Clark&rsquo;s travels along the Missouri River adjacent to western Iowa. Next, he focuses on the tribes most connected to Iowa from prehistoric times to the present day: the Ioway, Meskwaki, Sauk, Omaha and Ponca, Otoe and Missouria, Pawnee and Arikara, Potawatomi, Illinois Confederacy, Santee and Yankton Sioux, and Winnebago. In between each tribal account, &ldquo;closer look&rdquo; essays provide details on Indian women in Iowa, traditional ways of life, Indian history and spirituality, languages and place-names, archaeology, arts and crafts, and houses and landscapes. Finally, Foster brings readers into the present with chapters called &ldquo;Going to a Powwow,&rdquo; &ldquo;Do You Have Indian Blood?&rdquo; and &ldquo;Indians in Iowa Today.&rdquo; The book ends with information about visiting Native American museums, historic sites, and communities in Iowa as well as tribal contacts and a selection of published and online resources.<BR><br> The story of the Indians of Iowa is long and complicated. Illustrated with maps and stunning original art, Lance Foster&rsquo;s absorbing, accessible overview of Iowa&rsquo;s Indian tribes celebrates the rich native legacy of the Hawkeye State. It is essential reading for students, teachers, and everyone who calls Iowa home.<BR></div>