Fools Crow (Penguin Classics)

This book was delivered very fast, and was in mint condition. The price and delivery speed was amazing.

My introduction to the epic begins with the Homeric tradition, especially the "Odyssey" and "Iliad" (in my order of reading, one who was slow to grasp the brilliance of the "Iliad"), a tradition that extends forward to Vergil's "Aeneid," Dante's "Commedia," and Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso," to name a few. "Gilgamesh" must also be included, though it's a rather late discovery (in the nineteenth century), and though its found fragments precede the Homeric by hundreds of years (Homer writing in about 800 BCE, Gilgamesh written in about 1900 BCE).I have long thought America has no epic in this great tradition, but my belated discovery of "Fools Crow" (published 1986) is an eye-opener. Scholarly study may one day rank "Fools Crow" as perhaps the truest and greatest American epic. James Welch is from the Blackfoot tribe, born in Browning, Montana. I was raised about 120 miles distant, in Great Falls, amid well-meaning people who nonetheless conveyed subtle sneers against the Indian ne'er-do-wells on Hill 57. Mr. Welch, a writer deeply "burdened with the knowledge of his people," has managed to open my eyes, transforming his burden into a worthy telling of the Blackfoot way of life before the "seizers" came to take their land and their way of life.My first partial awakening came in 1988 when Bill Moyers interviewed Joseph Campbell in "The Power of Myth," a PBS six-part series with followup book to capture their dialogue. I had long known of Campbell's interest in myths, but had never heard that his interest began with fascination in the Indian way of life. Yet, if Campbell was first to help me see spiritual brilliance beneath the brutish appearance, I needed another twenty-five years to discover and read "Fools Crow." Mr. Welch transports me from my boyhood ignorance into a higher realm of native American myth.On finishing his imaginative rendering of his ancestors' way of life I was most eager to contact Mr. Welch, just to thank and congratulate him for his great work; to tell him the value of "Fools Crow" is far beyond a contribution to any Indian "renaissance," as some have praised it. "Fools Crow" deserves ranking among America's greatest literary works.I was greatly saddened to learn that Mr. Welch died young -- in his early sixties -- and that I could not send him an email, or receive one in return, or someday chat, and sit by a tipi fireside, there to tell glad stories of the breadth and depth of Blackfoot kings.

I'm left saddened and angry ... The story personalized the lives and plight of these people, brought them alive in what felt like an authentic telling of the horrors the white man brought and brings to all he touches.

This book deserved the awards it received. Characterization was excellent. There were no stereotypes. Each character had a unique personality which changed as they aged. Lots of info on Indigenous culture. Welsh dud not gloss over the violence of inter-tribal conflicts. There was a sadness too as the Native People were up against huge numbers of settlers and whether they fought or tried to live peacefully their way of life was doomed. Especially interesting was the contrast of the characters of Fools Crow and Fast Horse. There was nothing remarkable about Fools Crow’s appearance, but he was a man of sensitivity and character. The tall, handsome Fast Horse was arrogant and he became ruthless once he became detached from community. But Fast Horse was not a one dimensional character. Eventually he came headlong into the consequences of his actions and the resulting isolation was total. . In some ways this was a morality tale but it was much, much more. I couldn’t put it down and then I was so sorry when I was finished. Highly recommended.

I picked up on this title in my reading of Graybill's the Red and the White, which I didn't like so much. Fools Crow proved to be a pleasant surprise. It is written from the native American perspective and provides insights into the Blackfoot animist religion and its practice. The main theme however, is how they faced the invasion of white settlers on their land. It is a sad story in many ways, since the characters in the book recognized their inability to win against the invaders. Whether the diseases they brought (small pox) that debilitated the tribe to the inability to match the weaponry of the settlers, to the sheer disparity of numbers, the Blackfoot faced a losing battle. Other than to go down in a blaze of glory, which essentially meant extinction, there were really no alternative that would preserve the historic way of life. Although I am no expert, the story came across as authentic. My only criticism is that it was a somewhat idealized picture of the historic life, which was harsh and often brutal. (It is depicted more realistically in The Removes by Tatjana Soldi). All in all the book gives the reader a good feel for the Blackfoot and their predicament.

From the first page, this novel slides you into the life and world-view of the Blackfoot tribe. Welch uses words like blackhorns or wags-his-tail for wildlife, names such as the Seven Persons for constellations, and the Blackfoot names for places like the Big River or peoples such as the Parted Hair People. In less-capable hands, this would be confusing. However, Welch has a perfect sense for how to use this shift in language to bring modern American readers into the Blackfoot world.Welch also treats the spirit world, visions, and medicine in a perfectly natural and believable way. Some “supernatural” events defy explanation for moderns, but others have naturalistic interpretations. The overall effect is most similar to magical realism in Latin American fiction, where the supernatural fits seamlessly into a realistic story.The protagonist, Fools Crow, undergoes several transformations in the novel. These are both personal and “political,” and part of a crescendo of events for his Pikuni band. If you know Blackfoot history, you already know where these events are leading; if not, I will let Welch guide you. And yet the book ends on a hopeful note after these dark events, a clear sense of how Welch makes sense of his people’s history today.It’s an extraordinary novel, highly recommended for all audiences.

Delivery and product and described.

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excellent, on time

Extraordinary. Essential reading.

Up close look at the extermination attitudes and practices of the European settlers of North America towards the First Nations peoples, as well as a very educational view of the daily life of the members of the Blackfoot Nation in the nineteenth century. A very well told tale by a very good writer.