Li (fisheries and wildlife, Oregon State U.) brings together 14 stories about the use of natural resources in the American West throughout its history. The volume begins with a section on Native American experiences, followed by stories of immigrants. She also aims to show how the use of natural resources affect contemporary management of the environment and focuses on cultural adaptations to specific resource use rather than relationships with nature. Some stories are by individuals who come from the cultures and traditions; others write from an outsider's perspective. They relate the experiences of the Japanese, Chinese, King Island people, Quinalt canoe builders, Mexican braceros, loggers, and others. Contributors come from a variety of disciplines; history, ethnic studies, biology, writing, and anthropology are examples. Both a subject index and an index of places are provided. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)