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Gerald Young's avatar

Just wanted to say thank you. Your mix of financial data, mortality data, art, music, literature, and faith are thoughtful and well-linked/footnoted. I can't say that sumo is my favorite sport, but it's great that you bring so much of yourself to your writing.

SomeDude's avatar

my dad recommended a book you may like.

it's named Black Elk Speaks.

Mary Pat Campbell's avatar

Is that the one by not-Black-Elk where the author made up/misinterpreted a lot of the content?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Elk_Speaks#Controversy

https://nieveroja.colostate.edu/issue4/black.htm

That said, it looks like from the second essay, rather than reading something that seems to reflect the ideas of a standard American poet (Neihardt) who seems to have molded interviews into his own structure & vision, perhaps I should read one of the other books recommended:

DeMallie, Raymond, ed. The Sixth Grandfather: Black Elk’s Teachings Given to John G. Neihardt. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1984.

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bison-books/9780803265646/the-sixth-grandfather/

Luther Standing Bear. My People the Sioux. Lincoln and London: University of Nebraska Press, 1975.

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bison-books/9780803293328/my-people-the-sioux/

It sounds like the first one is the transcripts without all the interpretation/resculpting slapped on top.

SomeDude's avatar

I dunno as I never read it.

I wouldn't trust wikimedia for any information myself though and would seek out other references to attempt to verify that claim.

transcripts are definitely a good option.

Mary Pat Campbell's avatar

I knew about the controversy from multiple sources (I linked to Wikipedia for simplicity). This is not unique to Black Elk, of course - anything in translation/interpretation, where the "translator" has decided to inject a whole bunch of editing and extra material, you'll get this sort of thing.