When The Legends Die

by Hal Borland

Book Overview

A Young Man's Search for Identity and His Native CultureThomas Black Bull was raised in the old ways of his Native American ancestors, off the reservation in the mountainous wilderness of southern... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0553257382
• ISBN13: 9780553257380
• Release Date: July 1984
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.8" x 1.0" x 4.3"

Customer Reviews

Hmmm....how to describe

This book, I have a hard time even describing. I picked it up for the first time in high school, for a book report. I was completely mesmerized by the story. Maybe not even the story, but the feeling the book gives off. Intense sadness, isolation by choice, integration by force....then there's the way it's brought into the beautiful, painful scenery. It's been a couple of years since I've read this, so I'm not going to quote exact details. However, it's a rare book that I can look back on, and set myself into, because I remembered the way scenes felt. That's not just good writing. That's fantastic writing, in my opinion. If you want a book that will stick with you, long after you've finished it, try this one. I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

Legend and Tradition

A common nation, the Indian nation, in 1912 was struggling to assimilate. After a repeated robbery one Indian man, Jim Black Bull, set out to kill this robber and fellow Indian. He knew he had to flee civilization due to the white mans laws so he took his wife and son into the mountains to live the old way. After only a year the father died and it was up to the young boy, Bears Brother, and his mother to survive. The mother survived for only another three years before she died of a common flu. It was then up to the boy to use what he had learned from his parents to survive. He lived for several years in the mountains until an old family friend set out to find Bears Brother, which he eventually did. This new learning and living environment was new and scary. He had to adjust to his new life; his new name which was Thomas and his new religion, Christianity. He had such a hard time assimilating he went to live with a sheepherder to help care for sheep. All though he did well at this he did not like it and when a man asked him if he wanted to be a bronco rider he quickly accepted. He had found his calling as Devil Tom the bronco rider who rode horses to the death. For many years he won just enough to live comfortably and he quickly became a legend. He eventually would go back to the mountains to rediscover whom he really was inside. When The Legends Die opens the reads' eyes to see what it was like to be an Indian at the turn of the century. It shows the hardships that they had to bear due to the white men. The descriptions in the book are so vivid that you feel like you are there experiencing it for yourself. This bold book is exciting, thought provoking and at times quiet humorous. This book makes you laugh, frown, gasp, and cheer out loud.

This book has touched my life

Legends is one of the most important books I ever read in my life. It is not only a touching, gripping novel but also a symbolic story about the life between two worlds Native Americans have to deal with until today. I found this book under rather special circumstances: A German writer, Liselotte Welskopf-Henrich, uses this novel in her own book in a scene where a young Native teacher has to try and explain to 18 year old Lakota students on Pine Ridge Reservation why they should be interested in (European) literature... I thought that this novel was fictional, but later, just before my English exam, I found out differently. I used the book for my diploma and even though my English was average, I got the best possible grades! The teacher felt how much I loved that book. I urge you to read it, it's a masterpeace. And it also features some really good rodeo action! The end is not as sad as it would probably be in real life, but what the heck, I think it's great that the author gave his hero a chance to change his life and get back in touch with his past and the way of life his parents tought him.

Great read, learn something about who you are

This book is one of the best I have read. People that are dissing it are thick-headed and criticize the book because the deeper meanings fly over their head. I believe everyone can relate to Tom in at least one way or the other. You don't have to be older to get this book! The young can read this, I am only in eighth grade! Read it for yourself; don't skip this classic because of what the unintellectual mass that have attempted (or not attempted) to understand this book have said about it. I believe you will enjoy it.

One Of The Greatest Books

This is a book I hold close to my heart, I love it. I've read it 3 times in the past 5 years. As a 19 year old girl I never thought I would like books such as this, but it's incredible. The ratings this book has recieved certainly doesn't give it justice enough. It's terrific and sad, I just treasure this book as if it were a Ernest Hemingway novel. Try this book it's spectacular.