Black Elk

The Life of an American Visionary

By: Joe Jackson

Narrated by: Traber Burns

Length: 22 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

Here is the epic life story of the Native American holy man who has inspired millions around the world.

Black Elk, the Native American holy man, is known to millions around the world from his 1932 testimonial, Black Elk Speaks. Adapted by the poet John Neihardt from a series of interviews, it is one of the most widely read and admired works of American Indian literature. Cryptic and deeply personal, it has been read as a spiritual guide, a philosophical manifesto, and a text to be deconstructed—while the historical Black Elk has faded from view.

In this sweeping book, Joe Jackson provides the definitive biographical account of a figure whose dramatic life converged with some of the most momentous events in the history of the American West.

Born in an era of rising violence, Black Elk killed his first man at Little Big Horn, witnessed the death of his second cousin Crazy Horse, and traveled to Europe with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. Upon his return, he was swept up in the traditionalist Ghost Dance movement and shaken by the massacre at Wounded Knee. But Black Elk was not a warrior, and instead chose the path of a healer and holy man, motivated by a powerful prophetic vision that haunted and inspired him, even after he converted to Catholicism in his later years.

In Black Elk, Jackson has crafted a true American epic, restoring to Black Elk the richness of his times and gorgeously portraying a life of heroism and tragedy, adaptation and endurance, in an era of permanent crisis on the Great Plains.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2016 Joe Jackson (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Same heartbreak as others

I am always so saddened at the treatment of the American Indian. I am disgusted at the notion that mankind will find any means to force others to be like them. It was no different in the American war against the Indians.

A must read !!

This is one of those life changing books. So rare that a Medicine Man would share his life and personal struggles with the world. This should be required reading in schools.

Gripping yet tragic

So much to ponder in the history of America. And every time I think we have learned from the past and are finally heading for peace, we find ourselves surrounded by extreme greed and selfishness that exhibits itself as people believing they are entitled to more than others for whatever reasons they conjure up.

We are all more alike than we are different. Black Elk was a visionary who was able to see the truth and work for peace but sadly failed because of the rampant greed of his day. Unfortunately we have not come very far. We will only live in peace when we are able to see all as truly equal.

The rest of U.S. History ...

I very much enjoy learning of the deep spiritual disciplines of the Lakota. This is the history we did not receive in our formal education.

Comprehensive Lakota Sioux History

Excellent research putting together Black Elk Speaks with surrounding historical evidence completes the story of an American's vision of his people and our world. The stories of plains Indian live to the battle of the Greasy Grass to Exodus, return, travels to Europe, return, success, suffering, the massacre at Wounded Knee, irrelevance to stardom, and passing the torch to his son makes this book part of the canon if North American history.

The detail from all the different sources

I am Washoe, Northern Paiute, Navajo, Mexican, Spanish and Chinese. The details from all the different sources in this book are crazy with witnesses accounts. I felt like I traveled with Black Elk and others. Amazing but big time disturbing because I have a very visual mind and knowing I had Paiute family involved. I'm a driver and love it, so when I focused I was able to be right there listening to the narrator. Seeing everything unfold and what was headed to my people over here in Nevada, California and Arizona.

history told of a legendary figure and his people

I been chipping away at this audio book, the narrator and content are excellent, enjoyable mostly history, school never teaches us. The mostly untold story and history of Indigenous American peoples that takes the listener/reader to places we are deliberately guided away from, from kindergarten to high school and beyond. This audio book is beautiful, I'm happy I chose it.
Hollywood perverts how we see indigenous Americans, mostly but has been better since Marlon Brando helped bring to light the truth of how movies have influenced how we see these noble humans. History books fail in accuracy and the genocide Euro-American people did. Sadly our American history yet to know more truthful history must be known. Recommend this book!

Important American History

This is a very important piece of American girl that very few people know about. I encourage anyone thinking about this book, or trying to get a better understanding of this dark time in our history, to get this book.

A captivating story

I started this long listen under a sense of obligation. I knew nothing of first peoples. It's as if I'd slept through this class as a child in school, and now in later life was trying to make up for it. I was quickly mesmerized as the story wound out through the chronology of Black Elk's life. I was impressed by the level of research and insight that went into the telling. I appreciated the lengths that Jackson went to make Black Elk's story a human one. In the end, I wished that I had known the pleasure of meeting Black Elk earlier.

history comes alive

with the real names and events so carefully reconstructed for the listener, one cannot help but feel the spirit and betrayal of such an iconic people.