Black Elk Speaks cover

Black Elk Speaks

by John G. Neihardt

This is the story of the Oglala Lakota visionary and healer Nicholas Black Elk (1863-1950) and his people during momentous twilight years of the nineteenth century. It is at once a tale of Lakota life, a history of a Native nation, and an enduring spiritual testament, wherein the author conveys Black Elk's searing visions of the unity of humanity and Earth. Black Elk met the author, a distinguished poet, writer, and critic in 1930 on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota and asked him to share his story with the world. This complete edition features a new introduction and annotations of Black Elk's story. Three essays by the author provide background, along with other pieces by contributors, as well as original illustrations by Standing Bear..

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?