Native American Books

If you are not lucky enough to be able to sit at Ollie's feet and listen to her in person this is the next best thing... the book "sounds" like her... it is written as though she is speaking directly to you.... so it will throw many readers at first until you get used to the voice.... this is as close as you can get to her voice without voice recordings :) This is a wonderful way of speaking that has come about from mixing traditional lakota dialects with the english language to create a new dialect that is truely unique.

The book itself is a treasure of information that gives you a personal perspective of life in this area growing up during a time when this nation was going through major changes. Ollie gives you a vivid account of daily life, life that has all but disappeared, sprinkled with wisdom and facts you won't get out of main stream textbooks or history books. This is a wonderful window into another culture and belief system that you should not miss!

This book is for everyone, from young to old, from curious to students, those who have an interest in history, culture, and their fellow humans... this has something that speaks to everyone and gives you so much more when you are finished with it .... you won't regret this purchase! Donate a copy to your local library or school!

In this wonderful book, Ollie Napesni tells her own story (through the meticulous work of her devoted recorder and editor, Dianna Torson). Born to Lakota parents on the plains of South Dakota in 1917, Ollie straddles and unites two American cultures. Through her, they fuse and participate energetically in the travails and triumphs of the century. What emerges is a great American spirit that comes sailing out of the pages in Ollie's own salty, vivacious, mid-western voice. If you have any interest in American Indian affairs - or even if you don't - you shouldn't miss this book. You won't put it down without a lump in your throat and a smile in your heart.

Once you get into the syntax of Ms. Napesni's voice, you love it. She is a Lakota speaker and she thinks in Lakota because it is her first language. Highly fluent in English she is able to bring to the reader a sense of being Lakota. The book demonstrates to readers how one must be flexible in order to live in two completely different cultures. The book itself is a joy, easy to hold and easy to read. For fastest service it is best ordered straight from www.trafford.com.

Reading Ollie Napesni's autobiographical account as a Lakota Sioux Native American was a pure pleasure. Finally we have female insight what it was like growing up in Native America from the early 1920's. Ms. Napesni's account to her editor, transcriber, Dianna Torson, has Ollie's voice in traditional Lakota story telling style. Ollie's voice rings through and we listen to her tell "HerStory". Ms. Torson's ability to edit without loosing the traditional Lakota oratory style is remarkable. Even through a few instances of time wandering, Ollie's story won't let you go. You follow her recollections and look for her bits of wisdom. We learn about honor, dignity, humbleness, family values and strength. We discover women, men and children in Native American communities who were centered in family and Lakota Native American traditions.

Ms Napesni has offered to those of us who yearn for simplicity, commonality, spirituality and peace a world view and a life that attained those qualities.

One walks away after reading this book with a feeling of being a better person and a bit of a longing to pack up your belongings and to rendezvous with family and friends, taking the time to appreciate life and it's giver.

This book is extremely important for Metis - those of mixed blood, who have to struggle for identity and self worth in a nation of freedom and denial of freedom. Unfortunately, Kirkus leads off with a judgmental and skeptical review. Kirkus needs to employ editors who have understanding and experience in the spiritual worlds! We need the support of generations of elders of integrity,dreams, visions,spirituality, our indigenous heritage, and knowledge of the violence, exploitation and greed which was also formed the foundation of the United States. My spirit soars with this book to the mountain tops, to the pine forests, to the circles of elders and people who walk the path of love and healing. We are here. Our teachers are here.Our ancestors are here. The animals and plants and stones are here. Sakanta Running Wolf, Th'e Chupe ke ya ka Pah, Walks in Freedom.

i am the gggggggg ( i believe thats right maybe one less g) granddaughter of william weatherford through his youngest son who survived to adulthood Alexander . last semester i wanted to do a paper about him in frontier history class and bought the book. at first i thought the author was a little corny with her always thinking Red Eagle was with her. when i dropped out of that college i was unable to complete the paper. this semester in one of my english classes we learned about sacred time and it opened up my mind to think differently. now i think the book is beautiful because it isnt just a book full of jumbled up facts but real feelings. when i was younger i was afraid of the native american blood in me--im also signifcantly Cherokee. this book helped me to be proud of my heritage. i give the author 5 stars !

I am a direct descendant of Red Eagle and his wife Mary Stiggins. Mary Ann Wells takes you on a quest and delivers the goods. The real man is revealed from a Native American viewpoint. The Red Eagle that my grandfather loved and told us of flooded back into my psychic (his hatred for Andrew Jackson as well). I felt as though I was actually seeing those tragic days through the eyes of my illustrious ancestor. Ms.Wells has cleverly turned our hearts toward each other!

I highly recommend Mary Ann Wells' book "Searching for Red Eagle." This is history written in a fresh, creative way, told from the viewpoint of the Native Americans. Whether you are a history enthusiast, interested in the history and culture of the American Indians of the southeastern United States, or simply enjoy a good book, this biography is fascinating reading.

Sara Littlecrow Russell's debut book dishes out the horrors of bigotry with humor and a matter of fact tone that can only arrive in the company of truth. If you're looking for the feather and the flute, you've come to the wrong place. This is the fire and the blade. Nothing rings false. The poems feel as if they could have been written on paper bags while shopping yet with the surgical precision of finely honed craft. Honest, real and fleshy. So what are you waiting for? It belongs on the shelf of anyone who likes the direct gaze, the strong handshake, the wild dance. These poems do not waste your time, they ignite it.

Magdalena Gomez, Poet
www.myspace.com/magdalenagomez

A unique and thought-provoking book. Littlecrow writes with the voice of a strong survivor weaving the threads of tradition, belief and harsh reality in modern day America. Her writing is sharply clever and savagely witty yet shines with integrity. The images are vivid and accessible and will resonate with the reader struggling to hold their sanity in a world gone mad. A book to be savoured.

I tried to read it one poem at a time, tried to take my time, to let it all soak in. But I stayed up very late reading it, until my eyes wouldn't stay open any longer, and when I woke, I was unable to get out of bed until I completed it. Now I keep my copy at work, so I can lend it out to folks. This collection of poetry is vivid, fierce, powerfull, deep. Poetry for the people.

...it would be more appropriate in the backpack, car, bedside table, work place, public library, etc. Sara's poems are awesome - like swallowing little razors and every cut gets you closer to the truth. Kind of like Sharon Olds only more dazzling and gutsy. I don't read too many poets but I bought seven of these and gave them all to people I care about. Buy two - one for you and one to leave at a bus stop somewhere.

This is a good book for beginners that teaches the basics of arrow making the traditional way. It also offers alternative ways using modern tools. If you are looking for the way a specific tribe/people made arrows then further research will be required as with any book on this subject. It does however give some detailed information on the arrow crafting techniques of some plains Indians.

A magnificent compendium of Native American cures and treatments, which are just the thing unless you are actually, you know, sick.

I thought that this book was informative. He describes the herb, and the tribe(s) that used it, and how. There is several pages on the tribal tradition, but I would have liked to have seen more indepth about several of the more common tribes and their herbal medicinal usage and practices.

I really appreciated the author bringing together how the whole person must be treated in order to treat dis-ease. This is really missing in allopathic medicine.

I would recommend this book to any herbal practitioner that would like a different view of herbal treatment, using traditional Native American ways.
Kathy Miller

Another book you don't loan out, you'll miss having it for reference.

It lists recipes for ailments, and companies where you can purchase the items needed in the mixes.

I had to buy more than one, one for loans, one for keeps.

The best advice is also given in this book, just because one mix worked for another, it may not be the same for you. We are all different, and so are the many different species of plants. So it doesn't just give you one recipe for one ailment, unlike so many other herbal books.

In SELU, Awiakta engages the reader to critically think about the role of women and Native sprituality from that of Native understanding. It is not the usual garden variety of new age romanticism, but a honest look at the role of the feminine in Cherokee, and I think the authors point, everyone's life. If you have a keen interest in American Indian Studies, this book is of great interest to you.

I love all of her work, and these books on tape just add another element to the experience of Selu.

As a woman with ancestors of many cultures, and now raising a child of my own, I found Marilou Awiakta's conversations about Selu precious. Several years ago, I used the margins of my book to add my epiphanies and questions, as Ms. Awiakta suggests. Looking back at those thoughtful notes, I am touched by the way that this book became a journal, weaving its wisdom into my everyday life. I still ponder Ms. Awiakta's words in quiet moments, perhaps having forgotten exactly where they began. The spiral of wisdom that passes through each woman who reads this book did not begin within these pages, but is as old as the Corn Mother herself. I joyfully urge every mother to consider these practical and powerful conversations.

Marilou is an old friend of my mom, so my opinion is biased. But, if you want to get inside the thoughts that built the Cherokee worldview, this is a good place to start. Unlike so many so-called "Indian" books, this one is authentic, and has soul.

My 3rd Graders LOVED this book. They espicially loved how the book included the Cherokee language. They all tried to copy it and write like Sequoyah. A perfect book on Sequoyah and the Cherokee language.

Well, it had to happen sometime. I knew it was just a matter of time before I found that I could no longer distinguish between amazingly well-written non-fiction picture books and adult non-fiction works of literature. It all came to a head when I sat down to read James Rumford's remarkable, "Sequoyah". A winner of the Sibert Honor, the book is a intelligent examination of the Cherokee metalworker who gave his people their own written language. Reading it, I found myself intensely interested in the book's subject and his amazing accomplishment of creating an entirely new written form. But I became depressed when I reached the end. Suddenly I wanted more information. More! I wanted to know what became of the Cherokee writing and what its state is today. It took an embarrassingly long time before I stopped blaming Rumford for being so paltry with his facts and remembered that I was not, in fact, reading an in-depth history but a remarkably interesting picture book. So ladies and gentlemen of the vast Internet universe, I can think of no higher praise to give this book than this: It makes grown adults forget what they're reading, so interesting is the material.

Rumford begins on a personal note. One year, as a child, his father brought him and his family to visit the great sequoia trees of California. And the man for whom these magnificent trees are named? A leader of his people though, as Rumford's father would say, "but not as you may think?". Thus begins the history of Sequoyah. The son of a Cherokee woman and a white father he worked as a metalworker and, at the age of fifty, decided to capture his people's voices before they were wiped out by the whites. This intention was not initially appreciated by the Cherokees who may have feared that he was adopting a European trait. After some initial mishaps, Sequoyah decided to produce a syllabary based writing system. Utilizing eighty-four letters he taught his six-year-old daughter Ayoka to read. Slowly, his new system caught on until in 1824 the Cherokee Nation gave Sequoyah a silver metal. The book ends with a full syllabary accompanied with some background information for those who would like to know more about the live and history of the Cherokee language and its creator.

James Rumford gave the world the incredibly intricate and fascinating Chadian picture book, "The Calabash Cat", containing a story written in both English and Arabic. Rumford does something similar in "Sequoyah" by printing the text both in English and, this time, in the Cherokee language. It's a remarkably beautiful language visually, and here it is translated by Anna Sixkiller Huckaby who is the training coordinator at the Cherokee Nation Cultural Resource Center. The illustrations in the book are immensely beautiful, especially within the context of the story. Rarely are dedications of picture books illustrated. Here, they are. And it improves the story. The illustrations here are inspired by the Navajo works of Quincy Tahoma, the Chinese artist He Jiaying, and the Japanese woodcut master Hiroshige. As a result, they look like woodcuts but feel more personal than anything so rough-cut. I especially loved looking at the sequoia trees at the beginning, with the tiny family silhouetted below. The people are just tiny black figures, poised against a magnificent majestic work of nature. Then you come to the story and become fully enmeshed in a single man's dream and success.

Stories of true heroes are difficult to come by. Too often the people we were supposed to praise in our youth (Columbus, Andrew Jackson, Reagan, etc.) turn out, in the light of history, to have been truly awful guys. Not men like Sequoyah, though. A true hero who accomplished a single remarkably difficult act for a noble cause, he is a hero we should all know and love. And "Sequoyah" by James Rumford, is the perfect vehicle to do so. I cannot praise this book highly enough.

This a picture book biography of Sequoyah. I learned that he was the creator of the Cherokee alphabet. His friends teased him but he kept working anyway. He was a very smart man.
The book has beautiful illustrations. I never knew about Sequoyah before reding this book. It was a nice introduction to his life.
I would recommend this book to kids who are teased for one reason or another. Sequoyah followed his dreams when he was teased. He is a good role model for kids today.

This book just won a Sibert Honor Award, given at the American Library Association meeting where they give out the Caldecott and Newberry awards and others, for its contribution to children's literature. This is a Big Deal! It's a FANTASTIC book. You won't regret getting this book. It's what I'm giving all the kids on my list this year.

Imagine for a moment you are a young warrior captured by an enemy tribe. You are enslaved, tortured and humiliated by your captors, then offered an opportunity to escape; which would mean personal freedom, but could also lead to the annihilation of your people and the desecration of the earth. What would you choose? This is the dilemma faced by Sequannah, the youthful protagonist of this action-packed fantasy/adventure Shadow of the Serpent A Coyote Moon Story. James Joseph weaves together a poignant coming-of-age story with the earth-centered teachings of Native American spirituality into an engaging and entertaining first novel. --Patricia A. Burke, editor, The Hungry Soul: An Online Literary Magazine

If someone asked me to review this book with just one word, I think "great" wouldn't be enough. It was an enthralling experience to learn more about the Native American ways and wisdom through such a fantastic story. Also, the narrative is quite elegant and detailed and the story never loses its pace. In the story, we are introduced to the Mineccou clan, a peaceful, yet strong tribe that are pushed into war when a powerful enemy nearly wipes out all the other clans in the area and enslaves the survivors. Sequannah, a young Mineccou warrior is also captured and enslaved, but soon he finds that he will play a very important role in his tribe's struggle. For he will have to fight not only for his own freedom, but also for the freedom of his clan's ways. A story full of wisdom that makes us think about our own ways.

I spent hours reading the book,absorbed by the writing technique of James Joseph. The book starts in early and keeps dragging you in deeper after every chapter. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel by James Joseph. He is a promising author

SHADOW OF THE SERPENT is a thrill-packed and emotionally-charged epic adventure which beckons those of us on the "war path" to follow a better Way. I had a sense of being irresistably drawn through misty woods into mysterious caverns, only to hear the whisperings of shamans sharing the wonders of ancient Truth: Go back and live in the Light. Henceforth, whenever I see patterns of yellow and black, I will be unable to ignore the metaphorical warning. Read this important mystical work. --Dan Gallagher

I've always been a fan of the Western Novel but all too often I've faced poorly written material. Not so with Shadow Warrior!
This is a great western in the old tradition and one can only hope that J. C. Gotcher will visit the keyboard again!

J.C. Gotcher has captured the true spirit of the Western novel. He introduces us to characters and in turn lets us truly get to know them - so well, that we're not always sure who to cheer for and in the end we miss them all. I especially appreciate that Gotcher doesn't force a relationship between reader and character, but allows it to develop on its own. This is a fabulous read and one I will enjoy again.

A great story with non-stop action. You won't be able to put this one down. A unique blend of great story telling with a lot of historical accuracy. You are captivated by the wit and grit of the characters in a clash of cultures. It captures the spirit and realism of the old west.

This book, gripping with non- stop action, reminds me of a story your grandfather might have shared with you on a long road trip.It truly feels and speaks of another time. There are three main characters locked in a three-way struggle.This is not your typical good guy- bad guy western.I liked the freshness the author brings to this genre(and this is from a dyed in the wool Louis L'Amour fan!).This book is picturesque,exciting,and thought-provoking.If you love a great story this book is for you.

Joan Halifax has done an great job of taking important clips of information from various interviews done with various shaman from around the world. Such famous shaman as Black Elk (from Black Elk Speaks) are contained in here. She shows the similarity between all shamanic traditions as well as the differences with specific rights. Her selections of what she included were very smart, and also gives you insite as to what future books to buy, and what to avoid. A must read!

Books on shamanism tend to be quite a mixed bunch in terms of quality. Shamanic Voices though is one of the best and most authentic (steering well clear of the flakey "new age" type of shamanism). I would also recommend highly Wizard of the Upper Amazon or any book by Jeremy Narby. Joan Halifax has collected a variety of writtings in this book, my favorite of which is the artic shamans and also the slightly sad story of the aboriginal Australian shaman who lost his power. This is one of my favorite books and comes highly recommended!

It is amazing reading these stories from shamans all over the world. The soties are moving and tie into one another. This book leaves a mark on its reader.

Great book I reccomed reading the way of the Shaman first though.

up your spine with this mystery evocative of Garcia Marquez and Hillerman rolled into one. Choctaw/Cherokee/Irish Vietnam vet Attis McCurtain is murdered; his friend Mundo Morales and his great uncle Luther know it immediately through vision and dreams. His brother Cole and father Hoey must find the body which authorities believe is still a living psycho on the lam.

As with his other novels, Owens tightly weaves many cultures to achieve a beautiful, funny and suspenseful story. If you're familiar with the mythological alter egos of Attis McCurtain and Diana Nemi it will take your breath away in its intricacy. A quick trip to read up on these two in Frazer's The Golden Bough will bring the story full circle, as manyNative American stories tend to be presented. This book has the sexiest octogenarian couple readers are ever likely to encounter along with surprise players from across cultures and times

up your spine with this mystery evocative of Garcia Marquez and Hillerman rolled into one. Choctaw/Cherokee/Irish Vietnam vet Attis McCurtain is murdered; his friend Mundo Morales and his great uncle Luther know it immediately through vision and dreams. His brother Cole and father Hoey must find the body which authorities believe is still a living psycho on the lam.

As with his other novels, Owens tightly weaves many cultures to achieve a beautiful, funny and suspenseful story. If you're familiar with the mythological alter egos of Attis McCurtain and Diana Nemi it will take your breath away in its intricacy. A quick trip to read up on these two in Frazer's The Golden Bough will bring the story full circle, as many Native American stories tend to be presented. This book has the sexiest octogenarian couple readers are ever likely to encounter along with surprise players from across cultures and times

"The Sharpest Sight" reads a little like a murder mystery and a little like a road trip book, though both descriptions fall woefully short of doing this book justice. This is a complex tale of self-discovery and psychic healing set amid a backdrop of Native American and Hispanic culture and history, with Viet Nam flashbacks, fumbling feds and some mildly graphic sex scenes to help keep the action moving forward. While the main characters are vividly drawn, and completely believable and sympathetic, for my money it was some of the secondary characters who made this book worthwhile. The bar owner, Jessard Deal, is particularly entertaining, especially as he disintegrates late in the book. Some of his dialogue is priceless. The same goes for some of the FBI agents, which take on absurd cariciature-like qualities late in the book. Louis Owens has a deft hand with subtle intrigue and the surreal qualities of truth and discovery, and is expert at creating an authentic sense of place and character.

The Sharpest Sight by Louis Owens is a mystery, a police procedural, a thriller, an exploration of identity, and magical realism all rolled up into one excellent novel. Sharpest Sight takes place in a [lightly fictionalized] Salinas Valley, California sometime near the end of the Vietnam War. Attis McCurtain, Vietnam vet and insane killer, has escaped from the state hospital and may or may not be dead. Mundo Morales, who is Mexican-American, Catholic, a Vietnam vet, a sheriff's deputy, and an old friend of Attis', and Cole McCurtain, who is Choctaw-Irish-American, and Attis' younger brother, must each try and unravel the mystery of Attis' disappearance. Mundo is aided by his duty to his buddy, his duty to his position in law enforcement, his love of his wife and child, and the ghost of his grandfather. Cole gets help from his dad Hoey, his Uncle Luther, a Choctaw elder and shaman, Old Lady Blue Wood, another elder and shaman, and his duty to his brother. The local crazed bartender, a twitchy Vietnam vet FBI agent, and the family of the girl Attis killed also play a major role. As the flooded river recedes towards dry river bed, all the characters converge towards a solution to the mystery and in some cases, a greater understanding of self. Potential readers unable to suspend disbelief in order to deal with ghostly grandfathers and magical Choctaw dirty tricks shouldn't even try to wade into this novel. For all others, I recommend that you dive into The Sharpest Sight and see where the flow takes you.