N. Scott Momaday, 55 - (American Indian Literature and Critical Studies) by Phyllis S Morgan (Hardcover)

About the Book

N. Scott Momaday, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of House Made of Dawn (1969) and National Medal of Arts awardee, is the elder statesman of Native American literature and a major twentieth-century American author. This volume marks the most comprehensive resource available on Momaday. Along with an insightful new biography, it offers extensive, up-to-date bibliographies of his own work and the work of others about him.

Book Synopsis

N. Scott Momaday, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of House Made of Dawn (1969) and National Medal of Arts awardee, is the elder statesman of Native American literature and a major twentieth-century American author. This volume marks the most comprehensive resource available on Momaday. Along with an insightful new biography, it offers extensive, up-to-date bibliographies of his own work and the work of others about him.

Phyllis Morgan's account of Momaday's life and career and her chronology of his accomplishments, including his many awards and honors, are based on wide-ranging research and recent interviews in which she elicited Momaday's thoughts on topics and periods of his life that he has not previously touched on. The biography captures his formative years, expands on his academic career, and reflects a deep understanding of his work.

The comprehensive annotated bibliography of Momaday's published work catalogs his output through mid-2009, including books, stories, essays, poems, newspaper columns, forewords and introductions, play scripts, and interviews. Morgan has also compiled an extensive listing of works about Momaday and his multifaceted output, including books, critical essays, reviews, newspaper articles, reference sources, online resources, and dissertations and theses. In the introduction, literary scholar Kenneth Lincoln offers additional insight into Momaday's poetry and prose.

With Momaday having observed his 75th birthday in 2009, this book showcases his accomplishments as it captures his dedication to family and ancestors, to the sacredness of Earth, and to the traditions of Native and indigenous peoples. It is an indispensable and foundational research tool and a worthy tribute to a literary icon.

Review Quotes

"If you are bibliographically oriented you will love this book, even if you don't know who Momaday is (unlikely) or don't realize that nearly 25 years of his literary career have been spent at the University of Arizona. If you know and appreciate, and perhaps collect, N. Scott Momaday's novels, poems, autobiographical writings and essays, this book will be an essential addition to your library. A bibliographical tour de force."--W. David Laird, former Director of Libraries, University of Arizona

"In addition, librarians and other scholars may see something else in Phyllis S. Morgan's project: an example of the persistent power of bibliographies, the best of which not only aid research on their subject, but bring together, in virtual form, the vibrant public in which a subject takes shape." --College & Research Libraries