Naomi Schaefer Riley is a weekly columnist for the New York Post and a former Wall Street Journal editor. She is known for her writings centered on the topics of higher education, religion, philanthropy and culture. Her work has appeared in such publications as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Boston Globe. Previous books include “Got Religion?” and “’Til Faith Do Us Part: How Interfaith Marriage is Transforming America,” which was named an editor’s pick by the New York Times Book Review. In her latest, “The New Trail of Tears: How Washington Is Destroying American Indians,” she explores the topic of the tragic plight of the American Indian.

History tells of the devastating effects of white settlers on Indian communities but that is not where the story ends. In “The New Trail of Tears,” the author writes about how American Indians have the highest rates of poverty of any racial group and that they are plagued by suicide and gang violence. According to her, this stems from an effort to ease the “white guilt” which has resulted in lack of economic opportunities, lack of education and lack of equal protection under the law. This heavily notated book is divided into three parts: “The False Promise of Sovereignty,” “White people call it nepotism. We call it kinship” and “Who Will Stand Up for Civil Rights?” Chapter 5: “Equal Protection” stands out when the author proposes that “If Americans owe something to Indians, it’s surely the basic protections we afford all Americans.”

Naomi Schaefer Riley has written an eye-opening account of what life is really like in reservations. Even though she starts off in the introduction by blaming modern liberalism she redeems herself by proposing solutions. Over the years the government has been uselessly throwing money at the problem when all they need is the autonomy, the education and the legal protections to help themselves. The subject of mascots comes up and it puts things into perspective: the problems American Indians face will not be made worse by the image of an Indian on a football team’s jersey. The material may be difficult to read but it is a subject that must be addressed. It is recommended for readers who are interested in the history of American Indians that goes beyond history books.

*Disclaimer: A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this article are solely the author’s.