“The great strength of this study is that it grows out of meticulous and exhaustive research. . . . Scholars of Mississippi history and Chickasaw tribal history will find this book particularly useful.”
—The Journal of Southern History
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“Atkinson’s long association with the late prehistoric, protohistoric, and historic archaeological sites of the Upper Tombigbee Valley and their various prehistories and histories has shaped and molded his intimate knowledge of the Chickasaw homeland. Only through a long-term commitment to a specific culture for a considerable period of time can a work such as Splendid Land, Splendid People have this depth of scholarship. If you only have one book on the Chickasaw, this is the one you should purchase for your libarary.”
--Journal of Alabama Archaeology
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“James R. Atkinson's long-awaited history of the Chickasaw Indians is an essential reference and enjoyable read. From prehistoric origins, through the climactic eighteenth century, to the shameful Removal, we finally have a comprehensive and completely responsible history of events for the Chickasaws. . . . This work was not designed as an ethnohistory, an anthropological analysis, or a popular book. However, such endeavors can now proceed in earnest with the resoundingly solid history and reference work Atkinson has completed.”
—Southeastern Archaeology
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