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My mother was a piece of work — brilliant, born in the wrong time, emotionally wounded, and kind. My dad stayed out of the way and supported us with his
It all had to begin someplace, this life of journeying, wandering, and poking my nose down unknown roads. Well, here is one starting point — my first Minnesota road trip.
Well, we’ve set it up, and here it is. I’m taking to the road to talk about LONE DOG ROAD, crisscrossing my beloved home state. But those of you who
Thirty-five years ago I sat across the table from a kindly, soft-spoken woman on the Red Lake Ojibwe reservation as she told my students about how when she had been
PRE-ORDER YOUR BOOK AND GET A FREE PDF A MONTH BEFORE THE BOOK COMES OUT! You, my readers, have always been a special bunch. And we have always had a
A few long generations back, my french Canadian ancestors, having bludgeoned our name from the mellifluous and more ethnically identifiable “Narbonne” into the board-flat “Nerburn”, made their way south from
Over the years, probably 100 film makers have contacted me about making a film of my story about my cab ride with the woman going to the hospice. I have
My public speaking pretty much came to a halt with the pandemic. I’ve slowly been ramping it up again, and would love to do more if any of you are
25 thoughts on “Musings”
I think I’m going to watch NEITHER WOLF NOR DOG yet again, today. I haven’t seen it in a while. Just like an old fine wine, your books and movie is always worth spending more time with. I like to think of your books as ‘comfort books’…. they always bring me comfort.
Your books bring connection to things too often forgotten, things from my past lives, things from memories that had been living in my subconscious for too long. Not necessarily easy, but essential. They explain my reaction to current events, strong reactions to horrible things too often done in the name of organized religion, all necessary to recall. You have a marvelous way of introducing or reintroducing us to things which should not be forgotten in the world we live in today. A word in which the dominate culture would eliminate the history of how it got where it is today, and the horrible cost to cultures which lived with, as part of, the rest of life. Not perfect, but in my opinion, far closer than what we live in today. Your writings give great hope that we may yet return to our place as part of, not destroying. Bless you for all of that!
Thank you, my friend. I appreciate the kind words. Most people I know just try to be kind and helpful by such lights as they possess. I just happen to have a larger platform from which to speak, and I try to use it to speak from my best self. Enjoy your day.
I just wish to thank you for being so kind to the elderly lady when driving for a Taxi Company in New York! She was on her way to a hospice however, you had no idea! You had patience and never charged her a fare! I know you must recall and each time it comes up in my memories I share it again with folks on Facebook! I was just going through the comments and clicked on one with an address to reach your blog! I hope this finds it way to you! I am glad to hear it is a true story and thank you for your kindness in such a time when so much evil is happening it’s so beautiful to read their are still good people out there like you! God bless ANNIE Gagnon
Thank you for the kind note. You must have read a pirated version, as the actual event took place in Minneapolis. The story is recounted in full in my book, Make Me an Instrument of your Peace: Living in the spirit of the Prayer of St. Francis. If you are interested, you can order a signed copy from wolfnordog.com. I think you might enjoy some of the other stories in there, as well.
I just finished Neither Wolf Nor Dog again, and will reread the others next. I have read many good, even excellent books in my life, with First People related in the majority, and these three magnificent books are the best without a doubt. They speak to my soul, and emotions go from joy, sadness, despair, and deepest shame for what we have done. I doubt any other humans would or could have survived us. Thank you for being you!!
We as a nation need to acknowledge what we have done and to learn from both our mistakes and the insights of those whose lives we devastated in our march across the continent. It is late, but not too late. We all need to do our part in whatever way we can.
Thanks for the great reads. I found you at the library and have love everything so far. Will read your bogg as I can . Thanks for making a an 80 somes day more interesting. god Bless.
To the kind attention of Kent,
Thank you so much for your inspiration I saw the documentary on you on FNX station. I am an editor I have wanted to start my own writing for a while, I’m now ready to take out my journals from the 1980s and use the techniques you talked about in writing about the past. I also have a Blog being here in New York I was going to write about things that go on New York City but my blog started to become about spirituality and kindness. Thank you again and your story a cab ride I’ll never forget is beautiful. Warm regards Pauline
Lone dog road… With the “right” photo. I always say… I can tell a book by its cover.
I vote “Lone Dog Road.” Can’t wait to buy it.
Lone Dog Road for me too. Sounds intriguing.
Hi Nerburn All I need to see is your name on a book cover and I know I have to buy and read. When is Lone Dog Road published? I wish you and your family a very happy and successful New Year. Keep writing. Anne Murray, Yorkshire UK.
Hard to know pub date. We’re considering several different kinds of publishers — big, anonymous, good reach; small, intimate, maybe unable to get the book seen and reviewed. Stay tuned. I’m in the final editing stage and loving this book, and I don’t often say that.
A friend read my manuscript in appreciation of Mother Earth and suggested I read “Small Graces.”
I just started it and LOVE it . I resonate with your spirituality… and am wondering if you might read my 94 page, brief work – “What We Focus on Grows -Seeing Wonder.” I’m a Hospice Bereavement Counselor and felt inspired to write and remind readers of surrounding wonders/graces with a plea to work to save what we love. Author proceeds will go to Interfaith Power and Light. Again, I’m wondering and hoping, if you do read it, you might even write a blurb on its behalf. Thank You, Kent Nerburn, for all the ways you share your wisdom, your grace with us. Thank you… and blessings to you, Annie Hisle
Me Nerburn:
Greetings.
What can I do? Is there anything I can do? What do I need to learn? In our world today, it can be difficult to find and understand the truth.
I just want to do what’s right in the little time that I have left on this earth. There has be some way I can make a difference?
Cliff Snedeker
What happened to the Chief Joseph paperback? After I read my copy, which is of course superb and should be required reading in our public schools, I gave it away as a gift. I then ordered another copy to give to a Native woman friend of mine, also as a gift. The new copy arrived in disappointing fashion; much smaller, lower quality paper, just not as nice to hold and read as the first copy I had. It’s just sad to see literally everything getting reduced to the maximum profit with no consideration of anything else. A story of this caliber deserves a better vehicle in the hands of the reader.
That’s what publishers do, and the author has no say. The cheaper they can make a product and keep readers, the more willing they are to reduce the product to something almost physically distasteful. You can imagine what it is like for an author to see his or her work in such a diminished form. But the business of publishing is completely divorced from the art of writing. It’s what you sign on for when you enter the field.
I figured as much. Capitalism is pretty disappointing in many aspects. Keep on writing them despite the business aspect. Your work is greatly appreciated. I added to my gift a copy of Wisdom of the Native Americans as it’s such a nice little hardcover and filled with…wisdom!
Thanks for what you bring to the world.
Thanks for all you do…
Amazon UK have informed me I can expect delivery of Line Dog Road between June and September 2024. Hope at last, have been waiting with avid interest and excitement to read this long awaited novel. It doesn’t matter how long I have to wait I know it will be worth it.
Keep up the great work Kent.
The publishing of this book that I love so dearly has become a byzantine operation with twists and turns I could not have anticipated. But take heart, it is still coming, though the date is uncertain.
Hey Kent, are you still out there? I have read Neither Wolf nor Dog and the Wolf at Twilight…wow! You opened my eyes, heart and soul to Native American spirituality, history and the human race, thank you! I’m looking forward to the next chapter in the Girl who sang to the Buffalo. I live in the beautiful state of Maine and have been interested in the history of the indigenous peoples of our state and spirituality for 40 years. I hope you’re still writing and teaching and are happy and healthy! All the best to you, Julie
Yes, I’m still out here. A new book coming soon — Lone Dog Road. Available in May, but FREE COPIES of the E book will soon be available for anyone who is willing to write a review on Amazon!
I’m looking forward to reading Lone Dog Road….thank you for the heads up and for taking the time to respond! Julie