Come Tell Me How You Lived
Book Review by Rickey Butch Walker
The book, Come Tell Me How You Lived, by Charles Enloe Moore
is a class act. The book contains an abundance of the highest quality photographs of American Indian artifacts that is possible for publication. In addition, all the pages of the book are also of very high quality heavy gloss paper that brings the pictures to life like appearance. Depictions of Southeastern Indian lifestyles are brilliantly displayed throughout the book and are very pleasing to the eye as well as extremely informative.
Each time period and phase of the prehistoric Indian people of the Southeastern United States are discussed in detail with pictures of artifacts representing the divisions of time from the earliest Paleo to the more recent Mississippian. Mr. Moore also discusses the historic phase of American Indian people in the Tennessee Valley with emphasis on the Chickasaws and Cherokees who called the Muscle Shoals area home. He also includes information on the lifestyles of some of the other Indian tribes who lived
along the Tennessee River of north Alabama. Moore ends the book with a section
from the highly regarded father of rock art of the Tennessee Valley, Mr. Bart
Henson. Remarkable photographs of rock art makes you feel you are there looking at the mystic and beauty of these wonderful American Indian images of the Tennessee Valley. It is without hesitation that I would recommend Come Tell Me
How You Lived by Mr. Charles E. Moore to everyone of all ages. This is an extremely high quality book fit for any coffee table centerpiece in America.
Book Review by Ellis Whitt
Come Tell Me How You Lived by Charles E. Moore is a unique and exciting book presenting a “down-to-earth” approach to prehistoric life in the Tennessee Valley. Starting with the earliest phase of human occupation, the Paleo Period, followed by the Archaic Period, then the Woodland Period, then the Mississippian Period, this book captures all prehistoric civilizations in an exciting manner. Also, it includes a presentation into the historic period of habitation. This book presents in a layman’s language the salient aspects of each period. It is accompanied by drawings, depicting life of the time, and photographs of artifacts, from each period. It is a “must have” for both amateurs and professionals who are interested in early peoples in the Tennessee Valley. I am personally highly interested in the Paleo Period; I found in this book a revolutionary theory (likely the first time this theory has been presented) as to how the earliest Americans might have domesticated elephants and used them to assist in migrating rapidly from Siberia into Alaska, and then throughout North and South America. — Ellis Whitt, Huntsville, Alabama, Author, retired engineer, NASA and Army Ballistic Missile Defense Command.
Book Review by E. Gene Hyneck
This book is prefaced with a free verse poem where the author asks Early Man how he lived. After his response, Early Man asks the archaeologist what he does. Then readers are challenged to learn from the answers while reading about Native American cultures, from migration into this country to the Trail of Tears in the Tennessee Valley.
There are over 270 pictures of artifacts, site work, and maps illustrating their interesting story. The book introduces several new theories that have never been seen in print before.
B. Bart Henson’s additional appendix on rock art in the Tennessee Valley certainly helps to make the book worthwhile and interesting reading.
E. Gene Hynek, Editor in Chief, Prehistoric
American Journal
Book Review by Robert M. Overstreet
“Come Tell Me How You Lived” is a well thought-out, profusely illustrated history of the Indian occupation of the Tennessee Valley. Tennessee River Valley point types of each archaeology period are shown throughout the book where the author traces the earliest forms back to Cumberland and El Jobo and presents his own theories on how the earliest forms evolved.
Paintings that show how the indians lived in the Tennessee Valley which include village layouts, hunting and fishing scenes and how they used the Atlatl spear are included. An illustrated history of the Mississippians, the Cherokee, the Chickasaw, the Creeks and other tribes are given.
The wrap-around dust jacket of this beautifully hard-bound book, printed on high-quality coated paper, depicts a group of the finest Cumberland points known, back-lit with a sunset scene over the Tennessee River. Who could ask for more? This book is highly recommended and a must have addition to any library.
Robert M. Overstreet
The Official Overstreet Identification and Price Guide To Indian Arrowheads