The Wisdom of the Native Americans: Includes the Soul of an Indian and Other Writings by Ohiyesa, and the Great Speeches of Red Jacket, Chief Joseph, and Chief Seattle

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Summary: I tried to be transparent to the beliefs of Native peoples
Review: This book is an homage to people with whom I have lived and worked. The native peoples -- the heartbeat and drumbeat of the land on which we live -- do not promote themselves, parade their beliefs, or try to raise themselves up. Yet, in their words and lives are a wisdom (and I use that word advisedly) that we all need to embrace. How far we are from the voices of this American soil, yet how much we need to hear those voices. If this book helps, then I have done well. I would also ask you, the reader, to consider another work of mine, Neither Wolf nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder. It will bring you inside the world of Native people in a way that you will never expect. Thank you for caring about another way of life, and seeking to learn about it with humility and respect. We may yet learn to live as brothers and sisters on this beautiful and fragile land.

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Summary: Native American wisdom shared
Review: This is a very instructive and thought-provoking compilation. This book contains four parts. Part I consists of short quotes of Native American leaders. Part II is Charles Eastman's beautiful work, THE SOUL OF THE INDIAN AND OTHER WRITINGS. Part III contains (i) Chief Red Jacket's respectful and dignified response to a missionary's request to minister to the Iroquois in l805, (ii) Chief Joseph's account of the Nez Perce retreat and (iii) Chief Seattle's eloquent speech to territorial governor Isaac Stevens when faced with his people's removal to reservations. The final part consists of biographical notes of forty Native Americans. Editor Kent Nerburn prefaces each of the first two parts as well as each of the three longer speeches with informative introductory essays.
I mourn the loss of the Native American culture as it once was. I'm very grateful to Kent Nerburn and the New World Library for putting this book together so that the wisdom of this great culture continues to survive. I just purchased a copy of this book to donate to my local public library so that my whole town can share in this wisdom.

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Summary: All We'll Ever Need To Know ...
Review: You could - and many have - devote your entire lifetime to searching for wisdom and truth. The wisdom and truth found in the words of this book is all that any of us will ever need. Read it, be still, look deeply into your soul, and you will know.