"Unrau provides a very detailed description of who lost what, to whom, and why, in a necessary corrective to scanty existing histories.—The Historian
"A well-researched, thoughtful study that deserves the attention of scholars of the American West, American Indians, and Kansas."—American Historical Review
"This well-documented and well-written study ably synthesizes the major personalities and their actions, which proved so ruinous to Native Americans in the nineteenth century. Furthermore, it helps modern readers better understand present-day Indian indictments of the workings of the federal government and the ongoing jurisdictional conflicts."—Pacific Historical Review
"The book presents a fresh look at the factors that combined to destroy or forever change some tribal societies in the eastern Plains. Based on careful research and a thoughtful discussion of the central issues, it shows clearly how conflicting and contradictory national objectives undermined any real chance for a permanent Indian Country."—Great Plains Quarterly
"Effectively synthesizes the sources to produce a study that is instructive for specialists and lay readers alike."—Nebraska History
"Unrau tells an important story and tells it well."—Western Historical Quarterly
"Unrau’s command of the primary and secondary documents is unparalleled, and he offers insight into the formulation and execution of federal policy."—Journal of American History
"A well-written and solid piece of scholarship. Recommended."—Choice
"A useful contribution to our understanding of the federal government’s feeble attempt to create a geographic location called Indian Country. . . . Historians and lay readers alike should read Unrau’s work for insight into what Indian Country meant in the nineteenth century."—Kansas History
“Superbly written, Unrau’s study speaks to the unique creation of Indian Country and how external forces like federal legislation, treaties, and bureaucrats shaped it.”—Donald L. Fixico, author of The Invasion of Indian Country in Twentieth-Century America: American Capitalism and Tribal Natural Resources
“Offers compelling insights into how federal Indian policies were influenced by the rapid expansion of white settlement across the Mississippi and onto the eastern segments of the Great Plains.”—R. David Edmunds, author of American Indian Leaders
“An important and illuminating work that vividly reveals the true nature of the U.S. government’s policy toward the Indians.”—Joseph B. Herring, author of Kenekuk, the Kickapoo Prophet
