N. Scott Momaday (Hardcover)

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.

Following a professional career in education, information resources, and research, Phyllis S. Morgan has focused on writing nonfiction works about the Santa Fe Trail and the Southwest. Her award-winning bio-bibliographies on acclaimed New Mexican writers include Marc Simmons of New Mexico: Maverick Historian;A Sense of Place: Rudolfo A. Anaya (coauthored with Cesar A. González-T.); and N. Scott Momaday: Remembering Ancestors, Earth, and Traditions. She has served as the New Mexico Director on the board of the Santa Fe Trail Association. 

Kenneth Lincoln, Professor of Literature, University of California, Los Angeles, is author of many essays and books, including Speak Like Singing: Classics of Native American Literature.