Customer Reviews

Fools Crow

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After reading Fools Crow: Wisdom and Power (which is one of my all time favorite books!), I was naturally drawn to reading the biography of Fools Crow. Alas, I found the book a bit tedious and disappointing. I am sure Thomas Mails wrote an accurate account, but his style and the points he emphasizes make for a plodding read.

Despite these troubles, I found the book to be informative of life on the 20th century Pine Ridge Reservation. The problems outlined in this book are not going away, and if this book raises concerns about what must be done to correct these terrible issues it has done a great service.

This book is also very good in regards to giving a history of the Sioux since the Great Sioux War of 1876. So often the history of this great nation is placed in the background to the white culture making it difficult to see with any degree of accuracy. This book is from the vantage point of a Sioux elder and tells the sad tale of an oppressed people.

This is the story of Frank Foolscrow: The Ceremonial chief of the Teton Sioux:

I very much enjoyed the story of the politics on the reservation.

I do have several problems with this book.

1. The story was recorded by Thomas E. Mails a Lutheran, and I found it disconcerting that in some places the Term "God" is used, and in others the Sioux term "Wakan Tanka" is used.

2. On page 100 Mr. Mails equates the tobacco ties as a rosary. The Tobacco ties had nothing with a rosary. They were simply offerings to his 405 helpers.

3. On page 107 Mr. Mails implies that Frank Foolscrow was a Catholic. It is clear that he retained his spirituality.

4. I am VERY disturbed by what he calls "The Kettle Dance". I am not from that culture, and do not know what it represents to the people. So I have no right to judge it.

5. The colors associated with the directions are wrong. I don't know if Mr. Mails got this wrong, or Mr. Foolscrow believed this information was too sacred to share. The accurate colors for the Sioux medicine wheel is.

Black in the West and represents Earth. White in the North and represents Air. Red in the East and represents Fire. Yellow in the South and represents Water Green in the Center and represents Spirit

You can see the accurate layout of the Sioux medicine wheel on the cover of "Native Wisdom" by Ed McGaa.

Questions or comments. E-Mail me. Two Bears

Wah doh Ogedoda

I have read several books concerning Native American Holy Men. This is one of the best I have read. The book describes his life, vision and work. It is easy to read, very informative and makes me wish I could meet Fools Crow. Be sure to put this on your reading list.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the ways of the old Lakota medicine men, or would like to know what happened after Wounded Knee to the Lakota. He was hesitant to speak about some of the things he knew, but he knew the Creator wanted him to preserve these things for future generations. There will never be another Frank Fools Crow, but his spirit lives on in his words written here.

There are, to the best of my knowledge, two books written about this great Holy Man. They were suggested to me by a Choctaw friend. He suggested that I read this book first, and then read the second and larger book titled, Fools Crow, Wisdom and Power. They are both wonderful books and you really get a feel for the spirit of this wonderful man. Anyone interested in Native American Spirituality would do well to read this book. Frank Fools Crow was the nephew of the famous Holy Man, Black Elk of Black Elk Speaks. This book gives the reader an intimate look into the life of a modern day medicine man. Not some kind of unreal and exaggerated tale, but the true story of a real, human, modern day holy man and what reservation life was and is really like. This is a book that anyone with a heart and a soul will read and re-read again and again. You should order two, because you will certainly be loaning it out to your friends.

Tis is one of the best native American books I have read so far. I recommend it.

I'm in the process of reading this book. It arrived very timely and in very good condition. I'm pleased with the service and promptness.

This book is the counterpoint to Fools Crow: Wisdom and Power. It is more a retelling of his life story, there is less description of his worldview which is more the focus of Wisdom and Power. One feels reading this that he could have gone on and on about the politics at the reservation, he doesn't and for me seeing how he expresses his views about this situation while keeping a gentle ad moderate tone is quite revealing of his personality. There is a fascinating account of his exerience at Bear Butte, which is the highlight of the book.