From Powells.com
A selection of pivotal works by Indigenous authors.
Synopses & Reviews
The magnificent Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of a stranger in his native land
“Both a masterpiece about the universal human condition and a masterpiece of Native American literature....A book everyone should read for the joy and emotion of the language it contains.” — The Paris Review
A young Native American, Abel has come home from war to find himself caught between two worlds. The first is the world of his father’s, wedding him to the rhythm of the seasons, the harsh beauty of the land, and the ancient rites and traditions of his people. But the other world — modern, industrial America — pulls at Abel, demanding his loyalty, trying to claim his soul, and goading him into a destructive, compulsive cycle of depravity and disgust.
Review
“A tragic story…one of considerable power and beauty.” The Nation
Review
“Mr. Momaday has a superb sense of imagery....There is a rich treasury of Pueblo Indian lore on almost every page.” Baltimore Sun
Review
“A new romanticism, with a reverence for the land, a transcendent optimism, and a sense of mythic wholeness...Push[es] the secular mode of modern fiction into the sacred mode, a faith and recognition in the power of the world.” American Literature
Review
“A beautiful and moving tale. Intricately conceived...executed with easy lyricism. Mr. Momaday’s performance is brilliant.” Publishers Weekly
Review
“Both a masterpiece about the universal human condition and a masterpiece of Native American literature....A beautiful artistic object, a book everyone should read for the joy and emotion of the language it contains.” The Paris Review
Review
“Authentic and powerful...Anyone who picks up this novel and reads the first paragraph will be hard pressed to put it down.” Cleveland Plain Dealer
Review
“Dazzling....Momaday [is] an important voice in American letters.” Los Angeles Times
About the Author
N. Scott Momaday was born in 1934 in Lawton, Oklahoma. A novelist, poet, playwright, teacher, painter, and storyteller, his accomplishments in literature, scholarship, and the arts have established him as an enduring American master. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Medal of Arts, and the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Lifetime Achievement.