Black Elk Speaks
Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux, The Premier Edition
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Black Elk Speaks
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Narrated by:
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Robin Neihardt
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By:
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John G. Neihardt
About this listen
The famous life story of the Lakota healer and visionary, Nicholas Black Elk.
Widely hailed as a spiritual classic, this inspirational and unfailingly powerful story reveals the life and visions of the Lakota healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863–1950) and the tragic history of his Sioux people during the epic closing decades of the Old West. In 1930, the aging Black Elk met a kindred spirit, the famed poet, writer, and critic John G. Neihardt (1881–1973) on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Lakota elder chose Neihardt to share his visions and life with the world. Neihardt understood and today Black Elk is known to all.
Black Elk’s remarkable great vision came to him during a time of decimation and loss, when outsiders were stealing the Lakotas’ land, slaughtering buffalo, and threatening their age-old way of life. As Black Elk remembers all too well, the Lakotas, led by such legendary men as Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, fought unceasingly for their freedom, winning a world-renowned victory at the Little Bighorn and suffering unspeakable losses at Wounded Knee.
Black Elk Speaks however is more than the epic history of a valiant Native nation. It is beloved as a spiritual classic because of John Neihardt’s sensitivity to Black Elk’s resounding vision of the wholeness of earth, her creatures, and all of humanity. Black Elk Speaks is a once-in-a-lifetime read: the moving story of a young Lakota boy before the reservation years, the unforgettable history of an American Indian nation, and an enduring spiritual message for us all.
The premier edition features the first-ever annotated edition of Black Elk’s story, done by renowned Lakota scholar Raymond J. DeMallie, the original Standing Bear illustrations and new commentary on them, new maps of the world of Black Elk Speaks, and a revised index.
©2008 The John G. Neihardt Trust (P)2014 Skyyrim StudiosListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about Black Elk Speaks
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- indanthrone
- 20-10-20
Beautiful words spoken monotonously
This narration leaves me breathless. It sounds mostly unpunctuated and monotonous. It would be amazing to have these words read by someone who loves the story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mark
- 25-06-21
highly recommended
absolutely loved this honest and heart felt account of a tragic yet wonderful life of connection and respect through the harshest of endurances.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D. D. Pianta
- 30-12-17
Sad but amazing. it should be taught in schools.
sad, amazing, inspirational. it should definitely be taught in schools for everyone to know the truth
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kitty G.
- 10-02-23
Everyone should hear this
This incredible account echo’s of what is happening on this planet today on a larger scale. Such simple words of such great wisdom, a beautiful yet harrowing tale of the great fight that now comes to us all. Everyone should read this and perhaps we will all try to walk the red road.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- stacey r.
- 22-07-23
A great tale ruined
I truly wish I had bought the actual book as the narrator totally destroyed it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matt
- 02-04-24
A fascinating insight
A very fascinating and interesting listen. The stark history of the era alongside the seeming mythology of native America which comes to life at the very end and sends shivers. An incredibly sad and tragic tale about a group of humans who were connected to the Earth, like no others, A history that should not be forgotten.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Cliff Moyce
- 24-05-21
Difficult but important
No matter how often one reads first and second-hand accounts of native Americans being massacred by the US military, it never gets any easier. Eg after surviving many attacks in his short life, Black Elk describes perfectly his emerging shock and horror as he reaches the wounded and murdered people at Wounded Knee and how he wanted to die there and then rather than carry those memories inside him for another moment. For such a happy go lucky child to end up such a sad and damaged (though wise) man is tragic. The fact that some of the massacres occurred after he was treated with respect and kindness when visiting Europe (including meeting Queen Victoria twice) makes you realise that these were not Stone Age times, but rather enlightened times (at least in the first world). Sadly, the people of Europe were unaware of the genocide taking place less than 5,000 miles away.
Some people have criticised the narration of Black Elk Speaks on Audible as ‘monotone’. Perhaps it is rather flat, but Black Elk’s son (for it is he) has a traditional Lakota accent and I for one enjoyed hearing it again (I have heard it from another Lakota speaker before). It certainly reflected the voice of Black Elk better than someone from another race or culture could have achieved. I also sense a degree of racism in some of the criticisms of the narration and of Lakota culture (eg snide comments about the role of ‘six virgins’ in their harmless ceremonies). This is sad, and typifies the type of ‘thinking’ that caused all the problems in the first place.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 30-11-20
what a life.
just buy it, I cant explain how amazing this is, it just history of genocide but white Americans celebrate it
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jon L
- 24-05-20
Poignant history, poor narration
This was an eye-opening oral history giving the largely untold version from the American Indian first-hand perspective, including the importance of visions and tells of nature. Fascinating, but a very sad descent to the final conclusion.
Unfortunately, this was narrated by the son (?) of the author, who to an English ear had a droning monotone voice, and almost totally ruined the experience. I was ready to quit after five minutes, but persevered to the end, and can honestly say that due to the voice I probably didn't take in a third of the reading.
It really annoys me when a good book is ruined by terrible narration, seems such a criminal waste. One would expect the criteria to be a narrator should be a quality voice, and not solely to be a relative. Didn't someone in production listen and think "damn, that's not good"?!!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs. Sandra A. Geary
- 26-03-16
fantastic book recommend to anyone
This is such a great book to read and gives a great insight to the American Indians way of life and the struggle they faced in the genocide of their culture. Black Elk your words are forever held in my heart may the great spirit bring into being your vision of the sacred hoops of all nations.
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1 person found this helpful