I'm thinking of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail and wish I knew more about the Native American history of the areas it spans.

I understand (from programmes like this) that most if not all US 'wildernesses' were in fact the lands of Native Americans, which they were often violently dispossessed of.

And I understand that they probably were not thought of as 'wildernesses' at all, and in many cases had been shaped and/or actively managed by humans for a long time.

Can someone (I'm thinking of @Reedstilt in particular!) come up with a reading list of books or articles that would help me out?

The longer and more detailed the better, and it would be great if it could cover different fields: history up to the present day, politics, philosophy, social history, cultural ecology.. But perhaps starting with more general survey studies?

I know it's a big ask but I think this would be a great – and important – resource for anyone interested in hiking or learning more about the Appalachian Trail.

If a reading list like this already exists, then doh! Please link to it!

Thanks,

Freddie