Northern Paiutes of the Malheur

“In this searing and painstakingly researched account, Wilson challenges the accepted story of [the Paiutes’] exile . . . and argues persuasively that they were victims . . . of a misinformation campaign whose effects have lasted more than a century.”—The New Yorker
“Wrong was done to the Paiutes—it’s as simple as that—and the passion David Wilson puts into telling their story comes through more powerfully for the restrained and careful way he tells it. This will be a book of lasting value for its contributions to the history of the West and for its simple, elegant prose, which is a western artifact of its own. Both authoritative and exciting to read, this is an excellent piece of work.”—Ian Frazier, best-selling author of Great Plains and On the Rez and two-time winner of the Thurber Prize
“An outstanding text that flips the official narrative of the Bannock War and clears Egan.”—Ethan Gauthier, Pacific Northwest Quarterly
"In this well-researched and meticulously argued history of the Northern Paiutes who were involved in the 1878 Bannock War, David Wilson constructs an ethnographic record of what transpired before and during that war."—Sondra Cosgrove, Nevada Historical Society Quarterly
“In Northern Paiutes of the Malheur David Wilson captures the untold story of Chief Egan and our people, fulfilling the wish of my grandfather Hubert Egan for the true story of the Paiutes, hidden for almost a century and a half, to be revealed at last.”—Nancy Egan, direct descendant of Chief Egan and representative of the Egan family
“Fascinating. . . . Extensively researched and carefully documented, Northern Paiutes of the Malheur is essential reading for anyone interested in Native American history of the Northwest.”—Steven Lubet, author of The “Colored Hero” of Harper’s Ferry: John Anthony Copeland and the War against Slavery
“Northern Paiutes of the Malheur fills a historical gap with a meticulously researched, fascinating story of the survival of a small band of Indians who wanted to go home—and eventually did. . . . David H. Wilson Jr. does extremely well in describing personalities and backgrounds of leading characters in the story, bringing them to life as real people, not dull figures from a history book. He also excels at placing events in context of some of the cultural and social movements that affected Indian policy.”—Roberta Ulrich, author of American Indian Nations from Termination to Restoration, 1953–2006
“David H. Wilson Jr.’s beautifully written book tells the story of the Northern Paiutes in their historical lands of southeastern Oregon. The Paiutes had learned to survive in this harsh and spectacular landscape in ways that were antithetical to the manifest destiny drive of dominant society. Warfare and persecution of the Paiute people was justified by the long-standing lies of self-serving Indian agents. Wilson shines truth on this sad yet amazing story.”—Jim Scott, founder of the Foundation for Community Vitality in Montana
“Portland author David H. Wilson Jr. spent eight years hiking and rafting Oregon’s high desert, meeting with descendants of the Paiutes, and researching primary sources to untangle the causes of a tragedy as infuriating in its own way as the Cherokee Trail of Tears. The result is a chronicle that deserves to be recognized as a definitive work of Native American history.”—Matt Buckingham, Willamette Week
"Northern Paiutes of the Malheur is a beautiful book, one that seeks to finally deliver the justice the Northern Paiute were due after the war and never received. . . . Wilson adroitly balances the refutation of previous scholarship with the strength of his own, and it is a book that will help shape future interpretations of the short but devastating Bannock War."—Katrina Phillips, H-Environment