The Crying for a Vision: A Novel - Hardcover

Wangerin, Walter

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1557253420 ISBN 13: 9781557253422

Publisher: Paraclete Pr, 2003

Synopsis

In a novel steeped in the Lakota Indian culture, Moves Walking, a gentle and nature-loving orphan with a celestial pedigree, works and sacrifices to save the world and heal its elemental sorrow after warrior Fire Thunder's rise to power leads to the spiritual destruction of the earth and its people. By the author of The Book of the Dun Cow.

About this title

About the Author:

Walter Wangerin, Jr. grew up in North Dakota and spent many years with the Lakota Indians, participating in their sun-dances and listening to their stories. Backed by extensive research and his deep love of the Lakota people, The Crying for a Vision uses the Lakota and their vision of the universe as its prevailing metaphor for all the world.

Mr. Wangerin first came to prominence as the award-winning author of The Book of the Dun Cow. He has since won many other awards and honors for his books, among which is the best-selling Book of God. Wangerin holds the Jochum Chair at Valparaiso University in Indiana, where he is writer-in-residence.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 10 Up?This complex and absorbing novel of good and evil, sacrifice and redemption, paints a picture of Lakota culture while illuminating universal truths. A too-brief summary would suggest (incorrectly) that the plot is cliched and predictable: a young man, child of a human woman and a celestial being (a star) is chosen (or chooses?) to give his life for the salvation of his people. A comprehensive plot summary, however, is well beyond the scope of a short review, as Wangerin's narrative is both episodic and cohesive, suspenseful and inevitable, densely detailed and fluidly presented. Suffice it to say that the story of Lakota orphan Waskn Mani (Moves Walking) offers readers an unusual opportunity to glimpse a mythic past and enter a world in which the interconnectedness of all beings is emphasized. The dangers of disconnection are made only too obvious by the ravages of war, famine, and despair. Wangerin's use of language is smooth and compelling, complementing the narrative's structure, which resembles an intricate weaving. The story is not told in a strictly linear, chronological fashion, but is created by combining different parts, told from various perspectives. The book's challenging structure, sophisticated vocabulary, and strongly spiritual theme suggest that it will be enjoyed most by thoughtful readers in search of an imaginative, allegorical novel rather than a simple adventure story. Those able to appreciate this masterfully told tale will be richly rewarded.?Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Paraclete Pr
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1557253420
• ISBN 13: 9781557253422
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 280