Thunder Rides a Black Horse: Mescalero Apaches and the Mythic Present [Paperback]

Claire R. Farrer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1996 | ISBN-10: 0881338974 | ISBN-13: 978-0881338973 | Edition: 2

The impressive four-day and four-night Mescalero Apache girls puberty ceremonial provides the structure for Farrer's consideration of the ways in which old myths and legends inform contemporary actions and beliefs. Why people behave as they do is as much a focus as is their actual behavior. Through instructions given to Farrer by Bernard Second, her Apache teacher for fourteen years, readers gain insight into the importance of narrative, not just in ceremony but especially in everyday living on a contemporary Indian reservation in the American Southwest. Sights and smells are almost palpable as the author provides the best in reflexive ethnography by allowing readers to see her as a person rather than an all-knowing anthropologist. She neither romanticizes nor patronizes the Apachean people, who are presented as people with foibles as well as possessing much worthy of admiration.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Farrer's latest book crystallizes her previous work into its most powerful form to date . . . It comes as a surprise to recognize, after finishing it, how much deep knowledge it has imparted and how cleverly it is constructed. It creates the ambience for the reader to enter the Apache mythic present." -- Anthropology and Humanism

"Foremost among the volume's many strengths is its engaging, highly readable, reflexive writing style. Descriptions of sights, smells, sounds, and colors are vivid, and the people come alive." -- American Anthropologist

From the Publisher

Titles of related interest from Waveland Press: Basso, The Cibecue Apache (ISBN 9780881332148); and Hultkrantz, Native Religions of North America: The Power of Visions and Fertility (ISBN 9780881339857).

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Waveland Pr Inc; 2 edition (February 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881338974
• ISBN-13: 978-0881338973
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #427,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thunder Rides A Black Horse, December 4, 2010

By 

Vaughn Temple "VonCid" (Albuquerque, NM.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thunder Rides a Black Horse: Mescalero Apaches and the Mythic Present (Paperback)

This is a revision of a widly read Native American womans customs in coming of age (sweet 16). The auther has added more picture so one gets a better feel for who the people are that are characters in the book

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Boring, December 26, 2010

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Chris - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Thunder Rides a Black Horse: Mescalero Apaches and the Mythic Present (Paperback)

I gave it 5 stars because it's not their fault this is a boring book but it is. If you need it for class, this is the right one and it's legit. Get it and get a good grade in your class.

A++ WOULD BUY AGAIN IF I HAD TO BECAUSE OF A CLASS, NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO READ IT.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Honestly dry at times, but interesting nonetheless, December 6, 2009

By 

J. Juarez "the_philosoph3r" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Thunder Rides a Black Horse: Mescalero Apaches and the Mythic Present (Paperback)

Its intro is more than slow. The perspective of how she writes the book is unique in my opinion; compared to other textbooks I've read. Specifically, how she uses "time" to write about the different events that she recorded during her study. I used this textbook for an Anthropology course (Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion). The section that it corresponded with was Symbol, Myth, and Ritual. There are an innumerable amount of examples of each of these three concepts found throughout the pages. Another plus is that its not exactly a long read (only bout 108 pages). As the title of my review says it is "dry at times." But if you keep an open mind when reading it, you can definitely find the connection between Symbol, Myth, and Ritual.