When Legends Die Paperback – August 1, 1999

Long, long ago, this short novel was required reading when I was in elementary school. I was thinking back on it and felt fortunate to find it. The story was just as detailed and real as I had remembered it. Of all the books that were required, it fascinated me that this is the one that stuck with me (after 40 years). It is a timeless story of a man's journey to discover his true identity.

My husband loved this book as a little boy, and checked it out from his school library several times but never had his own copy. He wanted to reread it recently so I bought it for him as part of his Anniversary gift this year. He loved it as much as he remembered! Now he wants me and our kids to read it! The book arrived in very good condition for an older paperback. It looks like it was very well kept for many years. I would not hesitate to buy used books from this seller again!

Even though this book is not a new book the story still holds up.I remembered reading the hard cover edition when I was a kid.I had not been able to find a hard cover of the book for my own copy, the one that I had read was a library copy from my school.The story is about one boys journey into manhood and how his culture plays a roll in going back to his ancestors and back to the truth of his own heritage. It is just an excellent read. Anyone who is enticed by American Native Indian Lore should probably put this book on their must read list. I was thrilled to find the e-edition for my Kindle here at Amazon.The book was every bit as good as I remembered it to be when I was a kid.

This story always gets me right in the feels. So many of us have journeyed so long and alone that we have forgotten who we are. We kill our broncs and feel our hates only to come around full circle, more confused than we were before we began. I too long to hear the All Mother say “ he is my son “

This novel is a classic and written by one of the stalwarts of Colorado authors, Hal Borland. It follows a Ute Indian boy who was brought in from tradition life to a reservation school and follows him into manhood as a saddle bronc rider in professional rodeo. The writer captures the travails of Native Americans from their culture to reservation and reservation school. The protagonist finds he has a natural talent for riding unbroken horses and this leads him into professional rodeo and bronc riding.

I first read this in 7th grade and fell in love. It is the story of a Native American boy who undergoes a transformation from a traditional native living in harmony with nature and the land to a rodeo bull rider of great prowess. His journey is sometimes painful and sometimes blissful. It is a story that has stayed with me for decades and changed how I understood the plight of the Native Americans. It made me wear moccasins for 2 years and develop an interest in Native American flute music. Powerful story-telling, for sure.

When the Legends Die follows the story of Thomas Black Bull, a Native American from the Ute society, and his struggle to keep his roots within another's society.After his parents' untimely deaths, adapts to sufficing for himself in the wilderness. He becomes one with Nature, meeting a family of bears in the area, and renames himself "Bear's Brother" because he feels a closeness to one of the bears in the family. Eventually he is taken to the white man's world and put through a school, but finds school tiresome and boring. After trying to return to his place, he is once again found and brought back. Consequently, he begins to live in a world that he does not want to adopt, and forms a bitterness that carries into his adulthood.At the very core of this novel is the effort to return to one's origin. Tom Black Bull takes on several names (Bear's Brother, Devil Tom Black), and this signifies his lack of identity. He ultimately finds his identity only through the trials of controlling people and an abusive world. He takes his anger out when he becomes a bronco rider, attempting to abolish his memories with rebellious riding and attitude toward people.This book has a simple narrative, but the message is certainly deeper than it looks. The euphoric revelation for the individual is finding out who he is and what is significant in life's journey. This is what Tom must discover through the many setbacks. Although the book can be a bit tedious and repetitive, it has a beneficial message to those who read it.

I read this book when I was a child in trouble with the law. I had been in lockdown for about two or three months at that time in a youth detention center. It was a good book then, but even better now. I better understand the journey of bears brother/Thomas/Tom. This book is about a struggle to know ones own identity and coming to peace and acceptance with who you are and have been. I highly recommend this book!

A great story, very interesting.

Alles ok.