In the Spirit of Crazy Horse [Paperback]

Peter Matthiessen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1992

A look at the events surrounding the incarceration of native American activist Leonard Peltier elucidates the traditional Indian concept of the sacred inviolability of the earth and presents new evidence supporting Peltier's claims of innocence, arguing for a new trial. Reprint.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

The author tells the sad story of the ill treatment of North American Indians since European settlers arrived. By means of interviews, attendance at Indian ceremonies, and extensive research, Matthiessen shares details of life both then and now for the many existing tribes. The embarrassing incidents of treaties made and broken seem without end. Narrator Mark Bramhall can pronounce the extensive vocabulary of American Indian languages, and his voice brings to mind what modern Caucasians might imagine to be the speech patterns of eighteenth-century Native Americans trying to speak English. He shows little emotion or inflection. Since the rambling story never progresses in any particular direction or temporal sequence, it gives Bramhall few of the elements useful to maintain the interest of his listeners. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140144560
• ISBN-13: 978-0140144567
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #158,660 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

71 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read This Book!!!(...), March 16, 2003

By 

Angela Olive (TURLOCK, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (Paperback)

This is a marvelously well researched book. In respsonse to some of the bad reviews I have read I have to say that yes, Matthiessen does not try to hide the fact that he sides with the Indians. Yes the book is biased in the favor of the Indians. So what. When you examine the FBI and the US Government's history of maltreatment of all minorities, especially native peoples, why should an author feel obligated to paint the establishment in a flattering light. He is simply exposing the ugly truth of the dark underbelly of our "democracy".
This is hard for some people to handle, thus the poor reviews. Ask yourself this, in the midst of phenomenal violence why does the FBI never investigate dozens of unsolved murders, instead devoting lots of man-hours to tracking down Jimmy Eagle for the theft of a pair of cowboy boots???You be the judge.

This is an amazing read. Thankfully, the FBI, Special Agent David Price and Governor William Janklow all lost in thier legal attempts to keep this information from us. So celebrate freedom of press and curl up with this book!!! Freedom for Leonard

66 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shock & Awe In America, October 11, 2003

By 

Bruce H. Ulanet (Baltimore, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (Paperback)

This book picks up where "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee" left off, and unfortunately for Indian people the story does't get any happier. This book should be required reading for every high school student, journalist, politician or law enforcement professional. It shows us that despite the fine and uplifting words of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence that support our democracy, human dignity and civil rights always need to be fought for and protected by people. Unfortunately for all of us, sometimes innocent people lose the battle, and this is a story about some of them. Please read this book, you will not be sorry you did.

41 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Meticulous Research, November 27, 2002

By 

D. MILLS (Manassas, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (Hardcover)

This book was meticulously researched. The author reviewed thousands of pages of documents, conducted dozens of interviews and visited dozens of sites. He reviewed evidence presented by both sides: the FBI and the Indians. He considered the opinions of people on both sides.
However, it's not just a research book. The book is peppered with the author's own opinions and speculations as well as the opinions and speculations of other people interviewed. He retells the story several times through the eyes of the different witnesses. Some of the witnesses actually change their accounts more than once. In the end, the killer himself (whoever that may be) is probably the only living person who knows what really happened.