cover image The Founders of America

The Founders of America

Francis Jennings. W. W. Norton & Company, $27.5 (457pp) ISBN 978-0-393-03373-1

Jennings ( The Invasion of America ) argues that the true founders of North America were the Indians who established civilizations here long before the arrival of Columbus, Cortez and others. Synthesizing previously published material into a provocative essay, he forges a history that contradicts European explorers' assertions that the natives were primitive savages. Starting thousands of years ago with the first Indian arrivals from Asia and moving into the 20th century, with its continued immigration from abroad, Jennings traces the history of the peopling of the continent, persuasively demonstrating that the ``savages'' were often more ``civilized'' than the newcomers. While he describes various Indian cultures in rich detail, he simplifies the salient points of his argument, dulling the book's overall impact. Photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)