Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux (Paperback)

by John G. Neihardt (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The most famous Native American book ever written, Black Elk Speaks is the acclaimed story of Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950) and his people during the momentous, twilight years of the nineteenth century. Black Elk grew up in a time when white settlers were invading the Lakotas’ homeland, decimating buffalo herds and threatening to extinguish their way of life. Black Elk and other Lakotas fought back, a dogged resistance that resulted in a remarkable victory at the Little Bighorn and an unspeakable tragedy at Wounded Knee.

Beautifully told through the celebrated poet and writer John G. Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks offers much more than a life story. Black Elk’s profound and arresting religious visions of the unity of humanity and the world around him have transformed his account into a venerated spiritual classic. Whether appreciated as a collaborative autobiography, a history of a Native American nation, or an enduring spiritual testament for all humankind, Black Elk Speaks is unforgettable.



This special edition features all three prefaces to Black Elk Speaks that John G. Neihardt wrote at different points in his life, a map of Black Elk’s world, a reset text with Lakota words reproduced using the latest orthographic standards, and color paintings by Lakota artist Standing Bear that have not been widely available for decades.

Product Details

• Paperback: 298 pages
• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press (August 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803283598
• ISBN-13: 978-0803283596
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #408,108 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Black Elk Still Speaks, February 18, 2000

By	Franz Metcalf (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

To potential readers, worried about the authenticity of this work and its right to speak for Native Americans:

The question of how closely the words of this book follow the words of Black Elk has long been debated. It will not be decided here. Turn to the scholarly literature if you truly wish to pursue an answer. I have done that and in my mind (and I do have some education in these realms) am at peace with the book as a genuine expression of turn of the century Lakota spirituality. Neihardt may have written the words, and Ben Black Elk (Black Elk's son) may have done the translating, but Black Elk lived the life, as is corroborated by other sources.

I use the work in my introduction to religion classes, to bring another world to life for my students. Is Black Elk's vision theirs? Of course not. Is the book even Black Elk's vision? Perhaps not exactly. But it is a vision of power and every now and then it awakens a vision in students living 100 years after Black Elk. I belive Black Elks speaks and there is some power in his words still.

104 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a biography instead of a book on Sioux Spirituality, December 7, 2000

By	W. Lambdin "Two Bears" (Ellensburg, WA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This book is a biography of the famous Sioux holy man Nick Black Elk.

It tells of young Black Elk's powerful vision. This is one of the few books to place the colors in the proper directions.

This is not a blanket statement that everything in this book is correct. I noticed two errors.

1. The word Oglala is misspelled throughout the book

2. The photo on page 282. I have seen this photo in other sources, and the indian standing to the left of Nick Black Elk was called by another name.

If you want a biography of the famous holy man this is an excelent book.

If you want a book on American Indian Spirituality go elsewhere.

"The Sacred Pipe" Joseph Epes Brown

"Foolscrow: Wisdom and Power" Thomas E. Mails

"Native Wisdom" Ed McGaa

"Mother Earth Spirituality" Ed McGaa

Please contact me if you have questions or comments. Two Bears

Wah doh Ogedoda "We give thanks Great Spirit"

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books I've Read, November 6, 2000

By	Zekeriyah (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is the biography of Black Elk, a wichasha wakon (priest) of the Oglala Sioux, as recorded by John Neihardt. This is not some cheesy new age fiction nor is it a dry documentary told from a western view point. This is the actual life story of a holy man and goes into great detail about his visions. From his words we are able to catch a glimpse of Native American religion and spirituality on the Great Plains as it was in the late 1800s/early 1900s. This stands out as one of the greatest works on Native American religion to date. I highly rocemmend that ANYONE read this book.