To many Americans, "Indian Wars" connotes the ongoing battles in the West during the late 19th century. Actually, native North Americans and whites were in conflict from early encounters with Spanish, French, Dutch and English, leading to four centuries of warfare on some level. Historian Axelrod ( Art of the Golden West ) offers a comprehensive account of the Indian wars, major and minor (some of the latter may be remembered only as footnotes to local history). Furnishing brief profiles of leaders who fought on each side, he discusses captivity, treaties and the reservation system. Well-documented and smoothly written, this is a valuable reference work for students of history.