Author/historian Jay Wertz to appear at Smithonsonian National Portrait Gallery bookstore

June 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Author/historian Jay Wertz will be appearing at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery bookstore, on Wednesday July 20th at Noon. Mr. Wertz will sign copies of his book, THE NATIVE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

Native Americans have fascinated the world ever since European explorers discovered the Western Hemisphere. The Native American Experience tells their story from migration during the Ice Age to the influence of Native American culture today, examining early Native American tribal history and the turbulent relationship between Native Americans and Western settlers.

The Native American Experience is based in part on interviews with notable Native Americans-including Adam Fortunate Eagle, Johnny Bear Contreas, and Waneek Horn-Miller- and featuring removable facsimiles of rare documents from U.S. archives and private collections, this is a powerful you-are-there account of American history as seen through the eyes of the people who were here first. The Native American Experience - a 64-page book with over 200 illustrations and 30 rare and newly researched removable facsimile documents of historic importance.

The latest book from Mr. Wertz is THE PACIFIC---Volume One-- Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal. This first volume premieres a ten part book series: War Stories: World War II Firsthand, which offers a unique approach to World War II by weaving stories of combat veterans of all forces into an event by event history of the war. The series includes hundreds of first person interviews and oral histories of the soldiers on the ground, the sailors on the high seas, and airmen in the sky.
THE PACIFIC---Volume One-- Pearl Harbor to Guadalcanal features heart-wrenching testimony from the survivors of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bataan Death March and much, much more. Extensive research has resulted in finding those who are willing to share their personal, often unusual, and always fascinating wartime recollections. The book is fully illustrated with dynamic images, including color photos; and specially designed 3-D maps.

Tom Brokaw of NBC News commented, "[War Stories:] The Pacific is a stunning and evocative reminder of the personal heroism and epic battles over and on seas, island, and mainland, as told by those who were there. Magnificent."

Jay Wertz is the co-author of Smithsonian's Great Battles and Battlefields of the Civil War. His television credits include the award-winning 13-part documentary series Smithsonian's Great Battles of the Civil War. For more info/booking/ media interviews, contact Karen Morris, Sand Castle Communications, sandcastlecomm@verizon.net.

The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery tells the history of America through individuals who have shaped its culture. Through the visual arts, performing arts and new media, the Portrait Gallery portrays poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, actors and activists whose lives tell the American story.

The National Portrait Gallery is part of the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture at Eighth and F streets N.W., Washington, D.C. Smithsonian Information: (202) 633-1000; (202) 633-5285 (TTY), Website: npg.si.edu. Open 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Closed December 25. The book store holds author talks and book signings on Wednesdays. For information about these call (202) 633-5450 or visit npg.si.edu.