The Black Elk Reader

Much controversy has swirled around the authorship of Black Elk Speaks, an oral discourse in Lakota, translated by Black Elk's son, noted down by Enid Neihardt and written in book form by the mystic poet, John Neihardt. Holler's critical collection on the book by academics in anthropology, philosophy, and religious studies, and by independent writers, includes a thematized bibliography, reminiscences of Black Elk, an interview with John Neihardt's daughter, and essays on such topics as BE's significance in American culture, the role of horses in BE's vision, BE and the Jesuits, Dakota philosophy, and the ethics of reading Black Elk Speaks. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Library Journal

For many years, John G. Neihardt's influential Black Elk Speaks (1931), which explored the life of Lakota spiritual leader Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950), was accepted as the last word on the Lakota religion. Recently, however, some doubts have surfaced: just how accurate is Black Elk Speaks, and how should it be interpreted? What cultural and personal factors were at work in its creation? Editor Holler (Black Elk's Religion) has gathered together articles on Black Elk by a number of notable scholars. The author includes literary, anthropological, and theological analyses, ranging from a comparison of Black Elk Speaks and Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Marble Faun to an examination of how Black Elk's personal beliefs combined Lakota religion with Catholicism. The book also features an extensive bibliography. Because of its scholarly emphasis, this collection is recommended for academic collections only.--Gwen M. Gregory, New Mexico State Univ. Lib., Las Cruces Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.\