In this Book

A Cycle of the West, Bison Classic Annotated Edition
summary
A Cycle of the West rewards its readers with a sweeping saga of the American West and John G. Neihardt’s exhilarating vision of frontier history. It is infused with wonder, nostalgia, and a keen appreciation of epic history.

Unquestionably the masterpiece of the poet who has been called the “American Homer,” A Cycle of the West celebrates the land and legends of the Old West in five narrative poems: The Song of Three Friends (1919), The Song of Hugh Glass (1915), The Song of Jed Smith (1941), The Song of the Indian Wars (1925), and The Song of the Messiah (1935). This unforgettable epic of discovery, conquest, courage, and tragedy speaks movingly and resoundingly of a unique American experience. The new introduction by former Texas poet laureate Alan Birkelbach and annotations by Joe Green present fresh views of Neihardt’s iconic work.
 

Table of Contents

  1. Cover
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  1. Title Page, Copyright
  2. pp. i-iv
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. v-viii
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  1. Introduction to the Bison Classic Annotated Edition
  2. Alan Birkelbach
  3. pp. xix-xvi
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  1. Annotator’s Note
  2. Joe Green
  3. pp. xvii-xviii
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  1. Introduction
  2. John G. Neihardt
  3. pp. xix-xxvi
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  1. The Song of Three Friends
  1. Part I. Ashley’s Hundred
  2. pp. 3-5
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  1. Part II. The Up-Stream Men
  2. pp. 6-25
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  1. Part III. To the Musselshell
  2. pp. 26-33
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  1. Part IV. The Net Is Cast
  2. pp. 34-42
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  1. Part V. The Quarrel
  2. pp. 43-57
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  1. Part VI. The Shooting of the Cup
  2. pp. 58-71
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  1. Part VII. The Third Rider
  2. pp. 72-87
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  1. Part VIII. Vengeance
  2. pp. 88-102
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  1. The Song of Hugh Glass
  1. Part I. Graybeard and Goldhair
  2. pp. 105-124
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  1. Part II. The Awakening
  2. pp. 125-133
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  1. Part III. The Crawl
  2. pp. 134-179
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  1. Part IV. The Return of the Ghost
  2. pp. 180-191
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  1. Part V. Jamie
  2. pp. 192-206
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  1. The Song of Jed Smith
  1. Part I. The valley was beginning to forget . . .
  2. pp. 209-213
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  1. Part II. Now the jug went round . . .
  2. pp. 214-220
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  1. Part III. Now the deep . . .
  2. pp. 221-231
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  1. Part IV. “You’re getting sober, Squire . . .”
  2. pp. 232-255
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  1. Part V. Chin to chest and nodding . . .
  2. pp. 256-300
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  1. Part VI. The low intoning of the canyon grew . . .
  2. pp. 301-310
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  1. The Song of the Indian Wars
  1. Part I. The Sowing of the Dragon
  2. pp. 313-317
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  1. Part II. Red Cloud
  2. pp. 318-330
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  1. Part III. The Council on the Powder
  2. pp. 331-344
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  1. Part IV. Fort Phil Kearny
  2. pp. 345-358
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  1. Part V. Rubbed Out
  2. pp. 359-366
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  1. Part VI. The Wagon Boxes
  2. pp. 367-384
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  1. Part VII. Beecher’s Island
  2. pp. 385-409
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  1. Part VIII. The Yellow God
  2. pp. 410-418
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  1. Part IX. The Village of Crazy Horse
  2. pp. 419-427
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  1. Part X. The Sun Dance
  2. pp. 428-434
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  1. Part XI. The Seventh Marches
  2. pp. 435-441
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  1. Part XII. High Noon on the Little Horn
  2. pp. 442-463
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  1. Part XIII. The Twilight
  2. pp. 464-474
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  1. Part XIV. The Death of Crazy Horse
  2. pp. 475-486
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  1. The Song of the Messiah
  1. Part I. The Voice in the Wilderness
  2. pp. 489-500
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  1. Part II. The Coming of the Word
  2. pp. 501-529
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  1. Part III. The Dance
  2. pp. 530-539
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  1. Part IV. The Soldiers
  2. pp. 540-549
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  1. Part V. Sitting Bull
  2. pp. 550-565
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  1. Part VI. The Way
  2. pp. 566-576
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  1. Part VII. Wounded Knee
  2. pp. 577-584
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  1. Appendix: Prefaces
  2. pp. 585-596
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  1. Appendix: Errata
  2. pp. 597-600
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  1. Notes
  2. pp. 601-749
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