philosophy

I have bought many books here, but have never felt compelled to write a review until now. As a person who teaches dogs to help the disabled, I know firsthand the oneness you can experience with the spirit of an animal. I have seen loving, selfless dogs heal the lives of so many who were outcast and emotionally broken. Therefore, when I read this work, my soul leapt with joy to finally, FINALLY! find out that others (Nations!) feel about the natural world as I do. While this work doesn't focus solely on animals, but encompasses the Native American view on many, many topics, including life, death, living, nature, The Creator and their experiences with white culture, I truly felt I had found "home" when I came upon their beliefs about animals. In my family's religion, man is supreme, animals have little to no value and when they die, that's it, they're just dead. This wonderful book gives a different perspective on The Spirit of The Creator as it is reflected in people, nature AND animals. A perspective in need of hearing and teaching to so many who today, place no value on our natural world. To me, it was the proverbial cool drink of water on a hot, hot day. Read it and find your soul. Rather, read it, embrace it and reclaim your soul. No doubt you will find it waiting patiently for you in the wilderness ...............

Opps, the speach by Chief Seattle was written in 1970 by Ted Perry. Oh well, I would guess the other speaches are real... maybe. Good book anyway.

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.