The Mystic Warriors of the Plains: The Culture, Arts, Crafts and Religion of the Plains Indians by Thomas E. Mails (1995) Hardcover

The Mystic Warriors of the Plains offers readers an extraordinarily detailed view of the daily activities of the peoples of the North American plains, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Nez Perce, Comanche, and many others. Used by Kevin Costner as a resource text for the motion picture Dances with Wolves, this is an extraordinarily in-depth examination of the day-to-day lives of the North American plains Indians, with over one thousand illustrations and thirty-two four-color plates. Covering everything from social customs, personal qualities, and government to types of weaponry, achievement marks, and the training of Indian boys, The Mystic Warriors of the Plains is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Plains Indian lore that will delight and inform everyone interested in understanding the native peoples of the Plains. "Magnificently and accurately ... conveys both the tragic ironies and splendors of the rich plains civilization." [Newsweek] - "Fascinating detail that gives a better idea of the plains people than mere description can do... His combination of engrossing text and fascinating pictures makes this one of the most valuable books on Indian life ever to be published" [Navajo Times] - "Sympathetic, respectul, and appreciative... a major attempr to present the Indians' own view of their life style." [University of New Mexico Press].