The famous life story of the Lakota healer and visionary, Nicholas Black Elk.
From the Back Cover Black Elk Speaks is widely hailed as a religious classic, one of the best spiritual books of the modern era and the bestselling book of all time by an American Indian. This inspirational and unfailingly powerful story reveals the life and visions of the Lakota healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950) and the tragic history of his Sioux people during the epic closing decades of the Old West. In 1930, the aging Black Elk met a kindred spirit, the famed poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881-1973) on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Lakota elder chose Neihardt to share his visions and life with the world. Neihardt understood and today Black Elk is known to all.
Black Elk's remarkable great vision came to him during a time of decimation and loss, when outsiders were stealing the Lakotas' land, slaughtering buffalo, and threatening their age-old way of life. As Black Elk remembers all too well, the Lakotas, led by such legendary men as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, fought unceasingly for their freedom, winning a world-renowned victory at the Little Bighorn and suffering unspeakable losses at Wounded Knee.
Black Elk Speaks however is more than the epic history of a valiant Native nation. It is beloved as a spiritual classic because of John Neihardt's sensitivity to Black Elk's resounding vision of the wholeness of earth, her creatures, and all of humanity. Black Elk Speaks is a once-in-a-lifetime read: the moving story of a young Lakota boy before the reservation years, the unforgettable history of an American Indian nation, and an enduring spiritual message for us all.
The premier edition features the first-ever annotated edition of Black Elk's story, done by renowned Lakota scholar Raymond J. DeMallie, the original Standing Bear illustrations and new commentary on them, new maps of the world of Black Elk Speaks , and a revised index.
''If any great religious classic has emerged in this century or on this continent, it must certainly be judged in the company of Black Elk Speaks ... [T]he book has become a North American bible of all tribes ... it speaks to us with simple and compelling language about an aspect of human experience and encourages us to emphasize the best that dwells within us...'' -- Vine Deloria Jr.
''The experience of Black Elk ... comes to one great statement, which for me is a key statement to the understanding of myth and symbols.'' -- Joseph Campbell in an interview with Bill Moyers, The Power of Myth
''It is sufficient that Black Elk Speaks is an extraordinarily human document--and beyond that the record of a profoundly spiritual journey, the pilgrimage of a people towards their historical fulfillment and culmination, towards the accomplishment of a worthy destiny.'' -- N. Scott Momaday
''If a religious text of powerful import occurred in the twentieth century, it was Black Elk Speaks . If both Eastern (Buddhist/Taoist) and Western (Judeo-Christain/Muslim) religious canons are to be challenged and grounded in new theology, a major source will be Black Elk Speaks .'' -- Whole Earth, 2000
About the Author For more information on John G.

lgrsfic/R:\!fiction\0day\eng5\tuebl\Neihardt_John_G_-Black_Elk_Speaks.epub

zlib/Society, Politics & Philosophy/Social Sciences/Neihardt, John G/Black Elk Speaks_4502627.epub

as told through John G. Neihardt (Flaming Rainbow); annotated by Raymond DeMallie with illustrations by Standing Bear

Black Elk, John Gneisenau Neihardt

Wallace H Black Elk

Excelsior Editions, State University Press of New York Press

University of Nebraska Press

State University of New York Press, Albany, N.Y., 2008

United States, United States of America

Albany, N.Y, New York State, 2008

Premier ed, Albany, N.Y, ©2008

Premier Edition, 2008

Lincoln, c1932

lg_fict_id_996353

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Black Elk Speaks Is Widely Hailed As A Religious Classic, One Of The Best Spiritual Books Of The Modern Era And The Bestselling Book Of All Time By An American Indian. This Inspirational And Unfailingly Powerful Story Reveals The Life And Visions Of The Lakota Healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863?1950) And The Tragic History Of His Sioux People During The Epic Closing Decades Of The Old West. In 1930, The Aging Black Elk Met A Kindred Spirit, The Famed Poet, Writer, And Critic John G. Neihardt (1881?1973) On The Pine Ridge Reservation In South Dakota. The Lakota Elder Chose Neihardt To Share His Visions And Life With The World. Neihardt Understood And Today Black Elk Is Known To All.--cover Page 4. Reveals The Life Of Lakota Healer Nicholas Black Elk As He Led His Tribe's Battle Against White Settlers Who Threatened Their Homes And Buffalo Herds, And Describes The Victories And Tragedies At Little Bighorn And Wounded Knee. The Offering Of The Pipe -- Early Boyhood -- The Great Vision -- The Bison Hunt -- At The Soldiers' Town -- High Horse's Courting -- Wasichus In The Hills -- The Fight With Three Stars -- The Rubbing Out Of Long Hair -- Walking The Black Road -- The Killing Of Crazy Horse -- Grandmother's Land -- The Compelling Fear -- The Horse Dance -- The Dog Vision -- Heyoka Ceremony -- The First Cure -- The Powers Of The Bison And The Elk -- Across The Big Water -- The Spirit Journey -- The Messiah -- Visions Of The Other World -- Bad Trouble Coming -- The Butchering At Wounded Knee -- The End Of The Dream -- Neihardt's Postscript -- Appendix : Letter From Neihardt To Black Elk, 6 November 19 -- The Drawings By Black Elk's Friend, Standing Bear -- John G. Neihardt And Nicholas Black Elk. As Told Through John G. Neihardt (flaming Rainbow) ; Annotated By Raymond J. Demallie ; With Illustrations By Standing Bear. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [317]-324) And Index.

His life story and the story of the Oglala Sioux during the decades of the Little Big Horn, the ghost-dance rising, and the Wounded Knee massacre.

2014-02-01