Northwest Coast art, the product of many generations, began as a two-dimensional style with minimal incised separations and carved-out areas. Yet, amazing objects were produced over 1,000 years ago, ranging from potlatch grease dishes, headdresses, spoons of mountain goat horn, whale clubs, and utterly ingenious seal-head canoe dishes. With time, native art became more elaborate and decorative, employing high reliefs, greater volume, and finer total finish. Native Visions: Evolution in Northwest Coast Art, by Steven C. Brown with photos by Paul Macapia, groups more than 160 objects from private collections and the Seattle Art Museum into chronological sections following the evolutionary changes. While the highly informative text is rather dry, there are extraordinary illustrations, particularly of playfully mythological totem poles by Charles Edenshaw, graphic totems and masks by Willie Seaweed, gold bracelets and pendants by Bill Reid, and brilliant mask-carvings by Tom and Calvin Hunt. The best news is that there is no last word on the subject.