Synopses & Reviews
As readers of Tony Hillerman's detective novels know, he is a skilled interpreter of southwestern Indian cultures. In this book, first published in 1972 and now in paperback, he recounts a Zuni myth first recorded a century ago by the anthropologist Frank Hamilton Cushing. Hillerman's version of the story, written to be read by children ten years old and up, will have equal appeal for adults with an interest in Native American culture.
"In our society," Hillerman explains, "this would be called a 'Bible story. Like stories based on the Old Testament, this narrative is intended to teach both the history and morality of a people." It tells the consequences of a drought in which the Zuni crops were ruined and the tribe was forced to accept charity from the neighboring Hopis.
About the Author
Tony Hillerman (1925-2008), an Edgar Award-winning novelist, was best known for the Jim Chee Mystery series, which earned him the Navajo people's appreciation as "special friend to the Dineh." A former reporter and newspaper editor, Hillerman was a member of the journalism faculty at the University of New Mexico from 1965-1987. He served as chairman of the journalism department from 1966-1974.