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anicea's review against another edition
5.0
Prison Writings: My Life is My Sun Dance is a collection of thought, poems, memories of Leonard Peltier - all written from inside a prison cell, with a half-chewed pencil, with barely any light. At the time of writing, he had been wrongfully incarcerated for 23 years. That was 15 years ago. He is still in prison.
The book captures Peltier's moments of anger and despair, yet mostly conveys the extraordinary sense of compassion which this man continues to have, in spite of the horrible atrocities which have been inflicted upon him. What a gift it was to be able to read this.
America: FREE LEONARD PELTIER.
The book captures Peltier's moments of anger and despair, yet mostly conveys the extraordinary sense of compassion which this man continues to have, in spite of the horrible atrocities which have been inflicted upon him. What a gift it was to be able to read this.
America: FREE LEONARD PELTIER.
taraalami's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
jainabee's review against another edition
5.0
Peltier shares his life experiences with honesty and authenticity. Sometimes it's unfathomably heartbreaking— sometimes he's just an old grandfather locked up in a cage, sometimes it's profoundly inspiring— sometimes he's a visionary warrior. Ultimately, he identifies being an America Indian as the only crime to which he pleads fully guilty. There was much I didn't know about the AIM Movement and the events that led to his arrest and conviction. This book provides the jailbird's-eye view, and sheds a glaring light on the injustices that continue to be perpetrated against American Indians in the USA.
dizziebear's review against another edition
5.0
It is so sad that this man is still imprisoned. His writing was lovely and powerful, and it sucks that he's still in jail after so many years over nothing. Eye-opening.
wobimenahan's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
pakensmoe's review against another edition
5.0
Most definitely moved me to tears at a few points. The pain he has felt and continues to endure. I’m still reeling and in a state of anger and disappointment at the American government’s shameful and willful negligence.
This book is for you if, like me, you found humor in joking that America isn’t for us as citizens anymore. We always joke about the government and talk about it as if it’s a bad child, or some similar variation. Time to stop joking about it.
Is this man still in prison? When is his next hearing? How many hearings does he have left until someone actually decides to right this wrong???
This book is for you if, like me, you found humor in joking that America isn’t for us as citizens anymore. We always joke about the government and talk about it as if it’s a bad child, or some similar variation. Time to stop joking about it.
Is this man still in prison? When is his next hearing? How many hearings does he have left until someone actually decides to right this wrong???
darkrootscreations's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of those times you don't want to give a book 5 stars only because you are disheartened that the book (though to raise awareness) had to be written at all.
I am privileged to read this book, to know the story of a leader and warrior in his own words.
I originally heard of Leonard Peltier in 1991 during Rage Against the Machine's video for the song Freedom. Looking back now I can't believe that was 25 years ago! I was a rebellious teenager and impressionable and for two reasons this man because of interest to me: I was always fascinated by Native Americans (the culture) and this man had the same last name as me.
A few years after that song, I spent some time living in Oklahoma and was introduced to Indians and it somehow made everything "real". As the internet came around and information was easily accessible, I was able to crawl out from under the public school education of what we were taught about "Thanksgiving" and all that other crap we were fed. I spent my time in college writing every paper on Native Americans, using it as a way to further my education on the culture and people and history. Last year I took a solo trip to South and North Dakota and constantly found tears on my cheeks. I was so taken by the beauty and the "spirit" of my surroundings. I also found myself traveling to Arizona and New Mexico and was blown away by the culture of Native Americans.
It's saddens me that they are pushed into these small pockets of a such a large country and aren't able to thrive and be healthy and educated as everyone else here. It bothers me that we bend over backwards for other people that come here and spread their culture (it isn't politically correct to suppress their heritage) but the people who who are indigenous to these lands were/are forced to hide who they are, what they believe, how they speak, etc. I really don't understand it. I'm supposed to be okay with a man who wears a dress and still has a penis but it is forbidden to experience the beauty of Indian culture. SMH. Ugh, I could go on and on, but why? I'll end this paragraph by saying I think it would be amazing if settlers came to this country and melded with the Indians, shared cultures. That's the ONLY good thing I see where I live: new immigrants coming here and we learn of their culture and adapt some of their traditions and they do the same of ours. That's why I enjoy traveling. Not to spread my culture and force others to see "my way" but to experience how other people do things and try to incorporate some of that into my little world.
My hope is that Mr. Peltier will find himself a free man and be able to spend time with his family before he goes to the Sky World!
I am privileged to read this book, to know the story of a leader and warrior in his own words.
I originally heard of Leonard Peltier in 1991 during Rage Against the Machine's video for the song Freedom. Looking back now I can't believe that was 25 years ago! I was a rebellious teenager and impressionable and for two reasons this man because of interest to me: I was always fascinated by Native Americans (the culture) and this man had the same last name as me.
A few years after that song, I spent some time living in Oklahoma and was introduced to Indians and it somehow made everything "real". As the internet came around and information was easily accessible, I was able to crawl out from under the public school education of what we were taught about "Thanksgiving" and all that other crap we were fed. I spent my time in college writing every paper on Native Americans, using it as a way to further my education on the culture and people and history. Last year I took a solo trip to South and North Dakota and constantly found tears on my cheeks. I was so taken by the beauty and the "spirit" of my surroundings. I also found myself traveling to Arizona and New Mexico and was blown away by the culture of Native Americans.
It's saddens me that they are pushed into these small pockets of a such a large country and aren't able to thrive and be healthy and educated as everyone else here. It bothers me that we bend over backwards for other people that come here and spread their culture (it isn't politically correct to suppress their heritage) but the people who who are indigenous to these lands were/are forced to hide who they are, what they believe, how they speak, etc. I really don't understand it. I'm supposed to be okay with a man who wears a dress and still has a penis but it is forbidden to experience the beauty of Indian culture. SMH. Ugh, I could go on and on, but why? I'll end this paragraph by saying I think it would be amazing if settlers came to this country and melded with the Indians, shared cultures. That's the ONLY good thing I see where I live: new immigrants coming here and we learn of their culture and adapt some of their traditions and they do the same of ours. That's why I enjoy traveling. Not to spread my culture and force others to see "my way" but to experience how other people do things and try to incorporate some of that into my little world.
My hope is that Mr. Peltier will find himself a free man and be able to spend time with his family before he goes to the Sky World!
tyra_the_turtle's review
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Needs to be required reading for everyone
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Murder, Police brutality, Torture, and Violence
angielisle's review
5.0
I admire Leonard Peltier and I do believe that he is a political prisoner of the U.S. government. This book gives us Peltier's version of the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee, the events that followed, a brief account of his life in prison, dispersed with poetry and infused with Lakota spirituality. A great read.
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