Indian Tales and Others [Paperback]

John G. Neihardt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1988

Before Black Elk Speaks, before his epic poem A Cycle of the West, John G. Neihardt wrote many short stories that found favor with readers and critics. Among his best were the seventeen collected in Indian Tales and Others in 1926 and now available for the first time in paperback. "The Singer of the Ache," considered Neihardt's highest achievement in short fiction, portrays young Moon-Walker's quest for supernatural powers achieved at a price.

Other Indian tales include "The Look in the Face," one of many about a social outcast; "The White Wakunda," about a Christ figure; "The Mark of Shame," concerning murder as a violation of the natural order; "Vylin" and "Mignon," moral fables about Indian-white marriages; "The Last Thunder Song"; and "Dreams Are Wiser Than Men."Other stories, set on the frontier, are "The Scars," "The Nemesis of the Deuces," "The Revolt of a Sheep," "The Parable of the Sack," "The Art of Hate," and perhaps Neihardt's most popular tale, "The Alien," in which a fur trapper makes a pet of a she-wolf, with unex-pected consequences. "The Red Roan," a ghost story, and "Beyond the Spectrum," about a man who may have stepped outside his body permanently, bring to a peak the strain of the supernatural that is apparent throughout the collection.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Shimmering tales of American Indian lives and worlds, exciting accounts of the long-lost western frontier, these seventeen short stories are among the best ever penned by the acclaimed author of Black Elk Speaks. An Omaha Indian elder tells of "The Singer of the Ache," widely believed to be John G. Neihardt's masterpiece of short fiction; the social outcast Black Dog is unforgettable in "The Look in the Face." Other Indian tales featured are "The White Wakunda," "Dreams are Wiser than Men," "The Last Thunder Song," "The Mark of Shame," "Vylin," and "Mignon." Neihardt's enchanting frontier stories include arguably his most popular story, "The Alien," in which Antoine, a fur trapper, adopts a she-wolf, Susette, and sets in motion a horrific chain of events. There are many more tales from the Old West: "The Art of Hate," "The Parable of the Sack," "The Revolt of a Sheep," "The Nemesis of the Deuces," "The Scars," and the acclaimed supernatural stories "The Red Roan" and "Beyond the Spectrum."

Dazzling, true to the subject, and highly readable, these tales show a master storyteller at the height of his craft.

"In all these tales Mr. Neihardt writes with extreme simplicity, grace, and beauty; he has adapted his style perfectly to his subject matter, and so has made his material as charming as it is engrossing." -- New York Times --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 306 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (August 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080328358X
• ISBN-13: 978-0803283589
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,753,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.