Customer Reviews

The Primal Mind: Vision and Reality in Indian America

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1 star:		(2)

 

 

We've both read and re-read this life-changing book. It has not only given us a new perspective on the mind and world of the Native American, but it has helped us realize the value of the "primal" view in attaining a sense of "wholeness to the otherwise shattered experience of twentieth century life." Highwater demonstrates the value of diversity as well as the importance of tradition. This is a "must read."

The most important thing that I got out of reading this book is that there is an indigenous perspective and a western perspective and they are different. Mr. Highwater made these differences very clear and interesting for me to understand. I loved the examples he gave of different ways that Native Americans see creativity and experience creativity. The fact that they don't have a word for "art" is atonishing and gives Native Americans a whole new way of seeing that will always be different from the established westernized artworld.
One of my most treasured quotes form his book is:
"Freedom is not the right to express yourself, but the far more fundamental right to "be" yourself."

I constantly refer back to the section titled "Image". A great read !!!

This is an intellectually lightweight book. Western mind BAD, primal mind GOOD--that about sums it up. If you are prone to self-criticism and easily made to feel guilty for some of the undoubted crimes of the past, this is for you. So enamored is the author of the perfection of his imagined primal mind, he never thinks to examine the pre-Columbian world with any of the critical analysis he clumsily applies to the Western world (if you are knowledgable about any of the cultural fields into which he delves you'll find some howlers). It is, after all, that world to which he owes his forum and livelihood. He owes his reading public fairmindedness and balance.

I had to read this book for a graduate course. I would have to say it is one of the most dreadful books I have ever encountered. It's the first book for graduate school I've not read in its entirety; in fact, I made it halfway through before throwing in the towel. Whatever point Highwater is trying to make could have been done far more succinctly than this. Problems with insomnia? This book is for you!