"A valuable contribution...that is both accessible to general readers and offers a consistent and insightful interpretation of [Black Elk’s] religious life."—Raymond J. DeMallie, Indiana University, Western Historical Quarterly
"An excellent and detailed biography of Nicholas Black Elk, the famous Lakota Sioux visionary...a tremendous scholarly contribution that reveals a great deal that hitherto had not been known about the life of Nicholas Black Elk and the subtlety of his thought."—Ross Enochs, Marist College, American Catholic Studies
"Accessible and should be enjoyed by specialists and non-specialists alike...easily the best reference work on Black Elk’s life to date."—Seth Schermerhorn, Arizona State University, Montana: The Magazine of Western History
"A significant contribution...The author is to be commended for the broad reach of history and his willingness to engage the complex conversation that unfolds between traditional spirituality and Christian theology."—Wendy L. Fletcher, Dean, Vancouver School of Theology, British Columbia
This is the first book-length biography to cover the life history of the famous Lakota holy man. It is based on published primary source material, interviews with Black Elk’s family and friends, as well as Roman Catholic Church records from the
period when he was a lay catechist. The book brings together the extant historical record and tells Black Elk’s story in an accessible narrative. Scholars and the general public alike will find this volume appealing. This is Michael Steltenkamp’s second book on Black Elk, the first being Black Elk: Holy Man of the Oglala (University of Oklahoma Press, 1993). Indeed, Steltenkamp, who himself is a Jesuit priest, has contributed greatly to our understanding of Black Elk’s role as a catechist. Some have questioned the sincerity of Black Elk’s conversion to Roman Catholicism, but not Steltenkamp, who believes firmly the sincerity of his subject’s faith. So much ink has been spilt about Black Elk that it begs the question of whether another book is really necessary. However, Steltenkamp’s contribution fills a niche not yet occupied. It is a well-written, critical, and scholarly work, yet eminently readable. I recommend it for all tribal colleges and universities. —Herman A. Peterson, D.Min., is the Diné College librarian in Tsaile, Arizona.