Indian Time: A Year of Discovery with the Native Americans of the Southwest

For nearly a year the author lived in northern New Mexico researching and writing a public television documentary on contemporary Native Americans. Fein, who portrays herself as naturally reticent, overcame her reservations enough to explore ancient ruins, make friends with people from an alien culture, take part in native rituals and even arrange a ceremony that would bring together the traditionally antagonistic Hispanics and Indians--this while battling an uncooperative Native American writing partner and unsympathetic television producers back home in Los Angeles. Fein attributes her newfound courage to new ways of thinking about life she learned from the Indians. Her receptiveness to their customs and philosophy is admirable, but unfortunately her wide-eyed idealization of all things Native American has resulted in a breathless book replete with such dictums as ``we must heal ailing personal and cultural relationships to get in touch with our hearts'' and ``the universe will keep us afloat.'' The cumulative effect is cloying. (Sept.)