Great Plains Studies, Center for
Date of this Version
Spring 2011
Citation
Great Plains Research Vol. 21 No.1, 2011
Abstract
The book itself is well written, and follows Brown's life chronologically from birth to death. Along the way, the narrative delves, sometimes quite deeply, into the people and events, both American and foreign, that would have influenced Brown's life and work at the time. The reams of facts, figures, and dates in the book are meticulously referenced using the extensive archives of the AMNH. Brown was notorious for not keeping field notes, and correspondence to and from the field with his bosses, as well as annual reports, are the sources for most of the details of Brown's life while associated with the Museum. Despite their efforts, the authors lament that aspects of Brown's personal life and personality can really only be glimpsed from the writings of his two wives, his only daughter, and professional colleagues, leaving the man himself still a bit of a mystery.
Comments
© 2011 Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln