Nicholas Black Elk

Medicine Man, Missionary, Mystic

By: Michael F. Steltenkamp

Narrated by: Charles Henderson Norman

Since its publication in 1932, Black Elk Speaks has moved countless readers to appreciate the American Indian world that it described. John Neihardt’s popular narrative addressed the youth and early adulthood of Black Elk, an Oglala Sioux religious elder. Michael F. Steltenkamp now provides the first full interpretive biography of Black Elk, distilling in one volume what is known of this American Indian wisdom keeper whose life has helped guide others.

Nicholas Black Elk: Medicine Man, Missionary, Mystic shows that the holy-man was not the dispirited traditionalist commonly depicted in literature, but a religious thinker whose outlook was positive and whose spirituality was not limited solely to traditional Lakota precepts. Combining in-depth biography with its cultural context, the author depicts a more complex Black Elk than has previously been known: a world traveler who participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn yet lived through the beginning of the atomic age.

Nicholas Black Elk explores how a holy-man’s diverse life experiences led to his synthesis of Native and Christian religious practice. The first book to follow Black Elk’s lifelong spiritual journey - from medicine man to missionary and mystic - Steltenkamp’s work provides a much-needed corrective to previous interpretations of this special man’s life story.

The book is published by University of Oklahoma Press. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.

"A valuable contribution...offers a consistent and insightful interpretation of Black Elk's religious life." (Western Historical Quarterly)

"Easily the best reference work on Black Elk's life to date." (Montana: The Magazine of Western History)

"A significant contribution.... The author is to be commended." (Wendy L. Fletcher, Dean, Vancouver School of Theology, British Columbia)

©2009 University of Oklahoma Press (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Good book for information on Nicholas elk

I enjoyed this book and the information that was put in it. Good book instead of black elk speaks.

Excellent History Lesson

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. This review is for the audio copy of Nicholas Black Elk, Medicine Man, Missionary, Mystic by Michael F. Steltenkamp and narrated by Charles Henderson Norman. I really enjoyed this story with all the background and references that help validate the story. This is one of my most favorite things to learn about and this book provided a plethora of information. The narration was perfect for the story. Charles treated it with the reverence and respect required for this history lesson.

Perfect

This was an awesome review of a complex man’s life. The context of his last Fr was taken into account in a new way when looking at the words he gave to Niehardt earlier in his life.

It looks a a great review of the entire life and time of a great holy man of two traditions.

Read this if you want to know who he was

The best book on Nicholas Black Elk ever written. The narrator takes some getting used to, but one you do, he does a great job.

Nicholas Black Elk

I found this a very interesting and educational book.It makes you want to delve into the subject more. Charles Henderson Norman was a fine narrator.Very precise in pronunciations.I was given this book by the narrator,author or publisher free for an honest review.