"When we began our search for consultants for Into the West, we were looking for individuals with a deep knowledge of the culture and history of the Lakota people. In Joe Marshall, we found that person, but the happy surprise was that we also found a poet, a storyteller, and an educator who led us through challenging terrain with great patience and wisdom."
-Michael Wright, executive in charge of production, Into The West
Native American lineage holders have long been cautious about sharing their spiritual truths because the essence of this wisdom has been so often misunderstood. In Walking with Grandfather, authentic Lakota lineage holder and award-winning storyteller Joseph M. Marshall breaks this silence with the very best from a lifetime of lessons passed on to him by his grandfather. With him, you will gain access to the timeless teachings that until now remained largely unheard outside the culture of the Lakota people.
Part of an unbroken series of narratives dating back countless centuries, this rare new transmission includes Marshall's rendition of legendary stories such as:
"Follow Me"-why it is not authority but character, compassion, and experience that make a good leader
. "The Way of Wolves"-surprising lessons about the meaning of family
. "The Bow and the Arrow"-the intricate dynamics of spiritual partnership
. "The Shadow Man"-how to honor the sacred warrior in all of us
. "The Wisdom Within"-the passage of truly becoming an elder
. Plus many more stories
Author Biography:
Joseph M. Marshall III
Joseph M. Marshall III is a teacher, historian, writer, storyteller, and a Lakota craftsman. He was born on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota and raised in a traditional native household by his maternal grandparents. He has published nine nonfiction works including The Lakota Way: Stories and Lessons for Living and To You We Shall Return: Lessons About Our Planet from the Lakota, three novels, a collection of short stories and essays, a children's book, and was contributing author in five other publications; and has written several screenplays. Several of his books have been published in French, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese, German, Italian, Chinese, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Bulgarian.
In addition, Joseph has had several major screen appearances, including a role in the television network movie, Return to Lonesome Dove, and as a technical advisor and narrator for the Turner Network Television (TNT) and DreamWorks six part mini-series Into the West. Joseph has been recognized for his writing, scholarship, and service with numerous awards, including the Wyoming Humanities Award and the 2009 Benjamin Franklin Award for Historical Fiction. He is also a practitioner of primitive Lakota archery, having learned from his maternal grandfather the art of hand-crafting bows and arrows, and is a specialist in wilderness survival.
Joseph and his wife Connie (also his literary agent and manager) are the parents of a blended family and have sixteen grandchildren. For more about Joseph's writings and appearances, please visit www.thunderdreamers.com.
