Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance by Leonard Peltier
|
List Price: Our Price: $8.18 You Save: $8.81 (52%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.49 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Prison Writings: My Life Is My Sun Dance
Book Review: In His Own Words
Summary: 5 Stars
When you walk down the street, your hair is long and black, your skin is dark, and your clothes homemade, or at least worn out, trouble follows you. This is the lesson most White America just doesn't get. It's hard to be poor, but survivable. And it's hard to be different than the standard white faces in magazines, but that's survivable as well. What isn't survivable, but should be, is wanting to be who you are, rather than who someone else expects you to be.
Many American Indians don't want to live in a three-bedroom house in the suburbs. They want to live with their families, in groups for mutual support. They want to dance as their ancestors danced and they want to pray as their ancestors prayed and they want to live as their ancestors did - - and wanting that isn't bad. The message I got from Prison Writings, My Life is My Sun Dance wasn't so much a message of injustice toward a single imprisoned man, but a message of an entire people locked up, caged from their free will. From his earliest memories, Leonard Peltier just wanted to speak in his native tongue and be a warrior for his people. But starting at childhood he encountered the America of non-native people who wouldn't let him be that person he wanted to be. Forced to cut his hair and attend a school where English was required under threat of violence, he learned that who he was wasn't who he'd be allowed to be.
By following Peltier through his awakening to Indian issues, and his joining AIM to defend the rights of his people, the reader is taken along a journey of the American Indian Movement of the seventies, culminating that day, June 26th, 1975 when two FBI agents and one Indian man lie dead after a firefight on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
The machinations of the legal system are drawn in essay to show that Leonard believed he was going to stand as the Government's example, whether guilty or not. The other two men tried in the case were found not guilty by reason of self-defense, and Leonard's trial was never allowed to go down that logical course.
His writing is powerful, but simple. Short essays about his life and dreams. He's angry, but not bitter, and his life really is a Sun Dance - that ceremony to overcome pain and walk with spirits and in dreams while alive and awake. While it's something of a hodgepodge, the emotion carries from essay to essay. It's a read-in-a-single-sitting compelling journey.
Good luck to you, prisoner #89637-132.
- CV Rick
Book Review: If you are NOT a pascifist the logic could go something like this:
Summary: 5 Stars
Your homeland has been invaded.
The invaders have declared war on your culture and way of life.
The invaders have dug up and at times run over your Ancestoral burial grounds in the name of "progress" that is destroying the planet.
The pollution of Western civilization threatens the sacred water, air, wild rice and sugar maples among other things vital to the righteous teachings of our Ancestors...
The text books say you don't exist any more.
The invaders are still trying to take, control or rape the land that has been left to you and your children.
I ask you: Why are U.S. soldiers (ironically of all racial backgrounds including Indians) killing even innocent men, women and children in far off Iraq? "So we won't have to fight them here," is the answer I most often here.
If I wasn't non-violent, I would say that the FBI is a part of the invading, occupying army and I would have the right and responsibility to shoot, wound or kill any of them to protect MY home and MY children.
Many here in the U.S. really believe that the rest of the world doesn't notice the "slip of our history" is showing as we proclaim we are for "freedom, justice, equality, democray and 'God' and the best way to create and defend that is with $profitable$ production and use of weapons, weapons and more weapons.
With that rationale in place, I would say whether he killed the FBI agents or not, let the man go! He was defending his homeland from the "toxic, military, industrial complex" that the "Great White Father", President Eisenhower talked about 50 years ago.
The problem with all of this is that you cannot create freedom, justice and equality with guns. It won't happen,no matter how big,no matter how many.
I enjoyed the book by the way. I found it to be full of wisdom and an aura of compassion for all humans, all life. If you have witnessed a Sun Dance, the analogy really reflects the passion of Leonard Peltiers life.
Book Review: Inspiring- I Simply Could Not Put this Book Down
Summary: 5 Stars
One summer day I found myself to be extremely bored, so I ventured to my local bookstore hoping to find something worth reading. Suddenly, a book caught my eye, that being "Prison Writings" The grey cover blended in with the shelves, yet the book stood out on its own. I immediately picked it up. It took me about 4 hours to read. I began to think long and hard, it only took four hours to give me a completely different perspective on life, thanks to the inspiring accounts of Leonard Peltier.Peltier has experienced horror, disappointment, racism, and stripped of his rights, yet this book has an uncanny sensitivity to it, he is not bitter. Rather, he accounts his shortcomings extensively with a tone of hope throughout the book.
Peltier goes into great detail about the fateful June 26 1975 on his Pine Ridge reservation. He was led to escape by following an eagle, showing the spirtuality of the Natives that is often supressed. He also discusses the coercion of the FBI which eventually led to his arrest, and instead of being bitter, he shares his pain with the families of the killed FBI agents. This token of character demonstrates how courageous Peltier is, and why he is a hero to many.
Unfortunately former President Clinton refused to pardon Peltier, which is yet another disappointment. Yet he still has hope and shows great appreciation to his fellow supporters.
Simply put: "Prison Writings" is a detailed and enlightening account of the life of Leonard Peltier. Furthermore, it reveals his indestructible character and love for his people. Instead of writing a book to complain (which too many people do) he stays bold, strong, courageous, and hopeful of the future of himself and his people, therby making him a hero and his book an inspiring and unique read.
Book Review: The Spirits Cry Through His Writings
Summary: 5 Stars
"Prison Writings", by Leonard Peltier, is quite an eye-opener. This political prisoner maintains his innocence and demonstrates it through his heart and compassion. At times, each chapter appears to be a stream of consciousness dependent on his mood (he wrote it in prison where he still remains), but he always evaluated his mood and came back full circle and has come to terms that he may never leave but that his hope in humanity might help lift him and thousands of others wrongfully imprisoned.His words have compelled me to do further research and there are many related books, articles and even a documentary film by Robert Redford titled "Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story". I encourage everyone to read it and watch the film available through rental or purchase.
Whether you believe in his innocence or not is not the point. The point is that our current system remains flawed despite the cold hearts that are too scared to take a serious look into their conscience.
Leonard Peltier has definitely changed my once hardened heart. I am still a cynic and angry often, but thinking about his struggles through unfair justice keeps me focused. It is an easy read if you don't mind the harsh realities of our justice system, or lack thereof!
"Mitakuye Oyasin!" Learn this meaning from his book - it will serve you well in your life.
Book Review: Conformity, assimilation, and opression
Summary: 5 Stars
What the land of the free whoever told you that was your enemy!Since the first spaniar set foot on turtle island this country has never been the same.Manisfest destiny was there excuse, but that just what it was, an excuse.Leornard Peltier is a prime example of the opression that has kept the native americans under the steeled toe boots of the US government.Me bieng part native american myself this book is a huge inspiration to me.It gives me pride for my culture and the strength to fight the racism in our society that i face every day.Peltier has been incarcirated for nearly 25 years and is still as pacient as he was from day one.The governmaent's attitude towards Peltier is one of complacence.They dont care.This book is basically one of the saddest but at the same time most inspirational story's ever written.No matter what race you are this is a must readand hopefully it will open peoples eyes to the corrupt US government.