Customer Reviews

Great Speeches by Native Americans (Dover Thrift Editions)

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I can't recommend this book highly enough. Aside from being full of speeches and insights that belong in the Classics section of any decent library, the strong and concise way in which these speakers convey the greatness of Native American thought and culture is unlike anything you will ever get from your favorite writer of history books, or contemporary decendant of these great people.

I will even go so far as to say that if you are moved by the great words of Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr. it would be a horrible oversight not to have read this volume.

Additionally, the book includes several short bits of historical background which are remarkable in themselves.

Great words, great thought, unlike Western or Eastern thought or any philosophy you have ever read. You can only wish these cultures had survived the holocost that was inflicted on them better so that we could have benefited to a greater degree than was done by taking their gold, land, and lives.

Credit must be also given to the Dover Thrift Edition series for not only making well known classics affordable and accessible to the average reader, but publishing such books as this which are lesser known yet of great importance to the reading and thinking public.

BOTTOM LINE: Please read this book. It's that important.

I love the Dover Thrift Editions - they are so affordable and comprise truly great classics of literature. I have been slowly collecting the series and "Great Speeches by Native Americans" is one of my favorites in the series. It contains about 82 speeches that cover approximately five centuries of history of the encounters between Native Americans and non-indigenous peoples.

The collection of speeches here range from emotionally stirring speeches by great leaders of the Native Americans such as Red Cloud's "The Great Spirit Made Us Both" in 1870 and Sitting Bull's "The Life My People Want is a Life of Freedom" in 1882, to lesser known orators and even unnamed ones. Each speech is preceded by the context in which it was given, which provides valuable historical insight in and of itself.

This is a must-read volume that will provide insights into the Native American culture and history. It should also be required reading in schools.

Most of the orators in this book have passed long ago. This volume keeps alive their thoughts and feelings, for others to share today.

The original Americans, their words carry the weight of other great American speeches to follow, capturing a moment in time and making it palpable again.

More than an historic record, many of these speeches are an inspiration.


Indian Oratory: Famous Speeches by Noted Indian Chieftains (Civilization of the American Indian)

What an interesting book to read through. Their insight and eloquent delivery paints an descriptive picture of their times, viewpoints, and life.

This is a great collection of speeches. They range from pre colonial America to the 20th century. The different topics and the commonalities are interesting to follow. On a downside, the print is off - center on the pages. I guess that is what happens when you buy in the "thrift" section. The content however is a good representation.

Our son and daughter-in-law bought this book for my husband who is of Cherokee/Choctaw descent and very much interested in not only Cherokee and Choctaw history, but Native American history in general. He loved this book and based on that, I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the Native Americans!

This is a great book. I loved it so much I let a man who is very interested in the Native American history read it He said it is the best book of kind he has ever read. I can thnk of no greater statment to recomend thid book.

Terry Thomason

This is a good source for the tribal speeches and gives some very good insights into the thinking of both the tribal people and the whites.I recommend it for those interested in, in depth study.