Customer Reviews (6)

Tony Hillerman's books are terrific
Both my husband and I have read everything that Tony Hillerman wrote. These three stories are definitely 'classics' of his genre. We love the way he portrays the Southwest in such colorful terms. We can almost feel and smell the desert along with his wonderful characters. The respect that he holds for the native American culture is inspiring.

Oldie But Goodie
I read these stories before.I loved them so much I wanted to give them to a friend who had not experienced Tony Hillerman's books.The used book was indeed "acceptable" as indicated in the description.The price was very good for so many stories in a hard cover.However, I wish the type had been bigger, and the pages less yellow.I hope my friend enjoys these stories as much as I did.I am still very pleased with my selection.

Tony Hillerman-Joe Leaphorn
I thoroughly enjoy reading Hillerman's book on the Navajo policemen.His knowledge of the Navajo is so informative and a great addition to the storyline.

Three Joe Leaphorn Mysteries
---"The Blessing Way"---

"He stirs, he stirs, he stirs, he stirs,"

"Among the lands of dawning, he stirs, he stirs.
The pollen of dawning, he stirs, he stirs.
Now in old age wandering, he stirs, he stirs.
Now on the trail of beauty, he stirs,
Talking God, he stirs..."
It is in the 1970's pre-cell phone where parallel lives take place. We have an Indian wanted for a stabbing who turns up dead. Not just dead but in the wrong place. Not the wrong place but in a mysterious way. There is also a team of archeologists looking into which craft (they just may find it). One archeologist seems to be missing. A strange Navaho has his hat stolen but the silver hat band left. A woman is coming to visit her fiancé is in for an adventure she did not count on. From all of this Joe Leaphorn must make some sort of sense.
It is the descriptiveness of Tony Hillerman that goes beyond the mystery to pant a picture of a different world that we get to glimpse in the process of reading.
Read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall ads a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words. I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.

----------------------------------------
---"Dance Hall of the Dead"---

The Fire God is missing

Twelve-year-old Ernesto Cata (Zuñi) is practicing to be the Fire God in a local ceremony. His best buddy George Bowlegs (Navaho) is a Zuñi wana-be.

Ernesto is missing and there is a pool of blood by his bike. The next day his buddy George runs off. It is up to Sgt. Joe Leaphorn to find the boys before anything happens to them (if it has not already.)

As with most of Hillerman's novels everyone has different agendas and stories that overlap. There are alleged stolen artifacts form and archeological dig, and possibly a drug interest. They may or may not interact. We also get a good dose of Zuñi culture, and a feel that we are in the area.

Hillerman is nice enough to leave sufficient clues to let you figure out the mystery before Leaphorn and you then get to watch as he finally comes around to your way of thinking.

Another book by Hillerman "The Boy who Made Dragonfly" further describes the dance hall of the dead (Kothluwalawa.)

Author's Note:
"In this book, the setting is genuine.The village of Zuñi and the landscape of the Zuñi reservation are depicted to the best of my ability.The characters are purely fictional.The view the reader receives of the Sha'lak'o religion is as it might be seen by a Navajo with an interest in ethnology.It does not pretend to be more than that."
--------------------------------
---"Listening Woman"---

A great cliff hanger

Joe Leaphorn can put the loose ends together even when no one else realizes there are loose ends.The story starts out with an old man being bludgeoned and later Leaphorn is intentionally almost rundown by a mysterious man in gold rimed glasses.He tries to tie these together.Then he uses an old robbery as an excuse to get out of a Boy Scout commitment and track down the antagonist.Needles to say the story gets more convoluted for everyone but Leaphorn.
This is an excellent story with the added plus of the description of the area and the Navaho that occupies this area.What seems at first to be over description later enhances the final scenes.
Speaking about the location and Navaho, even the schools, this story is even more enjoyable if you read "Seldom Disappointed" first.Tony describes how he comes by the plot and the people.He even goes out to locations first as research.
I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall adds a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words.I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.

You'll Enjoy Hillerman's Flights of Imagination
In this volume, encompassing three novels, we are introduced to Navajo Tribal Police Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, educated at a White college yet living on the reservation, and discover some of the ways of the Dineh, thepeople. The subject novels -- "The Blessing Way,""DanceHall of the Dead," and "Listening Women" were writtenbetween 1970 and 1978, and deal with the effects of jealousy, greed, rage,and revenge brought onto the Navajo reservation by outsiders.Hillermanhas an unerring talent for using small bits of Indian culture to weaveconvincing stories laced with an inticate pattern of mystery.

From dayone, Hillerman has been a successful mystery writer.He writes withintegrity about the lives of the Southwest Indians (emphasis on the Navajo)with perception and understanding.Hillerman has won many fans with hisseries of mysteries but some in the Navajo nation are disturbed over aWhite author writing about their "ways" even though Hillermandoesn't get into secret tribal matters.Regardless, Hillerman has fostereda lot of good will for the Navajo, the Zuni, and the Hopi with his largeaudience of readers.

Over the years, the possibilities inherent in themystery formula have become exhausted.Hillerman has developed, within theframework of the formula, a Navajo policeman who solves crimes with amixture of modern and ancient skills and also educates readers about Navajobeliefs.Hillerman's stories don't challenge a reader's intellect.Thatisn't the author's intention.What he produces is a likable hero,descriptions of fabulous scenery, unobtrusive murders, and the absorbinglives of the Navajo.The author ably works the White and the Idnian worldsas he explains the reality of Whites and some off-reservation Indiansintruding on the reservation and the resulting conflicts.In Hillerman'smysteries the reservation Indians always win.

The author's writing skillsare evident as he mixes the acts and thoughts of different individualssmoothly and coherently in "The Blessing Way."The authoremploys McKee, a close friend of Leaphorn, to do most of the work.McKeededuces, faces danger, solves dilemmas, but Leaphorn actually ties theloose ends together at the finale.Leaphorn reveals clues but you'll benone the wiser unless you have some knowledge of Southwestern weather,fauna, hieroglyphics, Indian beliefs, and similar arcana.

The author usesthe "Dance hall of the Dead," to really educate a reader in SWIndian lore.The central point to the story is an archeological excavationand the disruption brought by the White man to the reservation.Navajomysticism pervades this murder mystery.We learn about the Beautiful MesaFamilies, who elected to die when Kit Carson arrived in 1864; Zuni Indianspirits who join the Kachinas and become one of them; the Navajo Chindi whospread sickness and evil among the Dineh; and the Shalako Ceremony whichgrants fertility to crops and brings needed rain to the desert regions ofthe reservation.

In the "Listening Women," Hopi ways areintroduced as are the Navajo concepts of -- Remaining in harmony with theuniverse; Navajo wolves identified as men and women who turn from harmonyto chaos and assume the guise of Coyotes, Dogs, Wolves, and Bears in orderto spread sickness among the Dineh; Disharmonious sand paintings which cancause death; and Destruction of tradtitional Kiowa medicine bundles whenthe Buffalo disappeared.While this quantity of information might seemdaunting to a reader, author Hillerman allows Joe Leaphorn to solve amurder while smoothly inculcating a reader in Native American lore.

Theauthor has applied a gentle and refined twist to the mystery formula bycreating an intriguing product employing Southwest Indian lore, themasterful Joe Leaphorn, and a little murder or two wrappoed up in apleasing package.Try Tony Hillerman's mysteries, you'll enjoy his flightsof imagination. ... Read more

Product Description

In this extraordinary collection, Tony Hillerman presents the Southwest as only he can, choosing remarkable true tales from his personal archives of local lore. As you read these stories, you will be amazed, astounded, and oftentimes confounded by the power of ingenuity, serendipity, and the strange, comical coincidence of life and how it proves, once again, that truth is ultimately stranger than fiction.

From the amusing title story of the holdup that didn't happen, to the riveting account of scientists tracking Black Death through the arroyos, to the ironic account of how a black cowboy's commonsense intelligence destroyed the dogma of the Smithsonian Institution, master storyteller Tony Hillerman reveals the present and timeless past of one of America's most beautifuland haunting regions.

Customer Reviews (12)

The Great Taos Bank Robbery
I have read all of Tony Hillary's books. I love his non-fiction stories,it took me back to when I lived in the area,there is no
place like New Mexico. He was truly one of the great story tellers,with humor and insight into humanity.

Disappointment
I thought this book would contain some interesting short stories in Hillerman's vein.Hillerman, yes, I guess, but boring.I just threw this book away.Don't waste your money

20th Century West
"Great Taos Bank Robbery" is a collection of short pieces, dating from the time Tony Hillerman was a brilliant, and very funny newspaper reporter covering the 20th century western culture later featured in his novels.
A great treat to bring on a Colorado vacation!

Priceless insights from a newsman becoming a novelist
Hillerman describes the genesis of these nine interesting essays based on New Mexico daily life:

"The essays in The Great Taos Bank Robbery: And Other True Stories of the Southwest were my project to win a Master of Arts degree in English when I quit being a newspaper editor and went back to college. In a way they reflected the decision I had made (with my wife Marie's encouragement) to see if someone like myself -- who loves to write -- can reflect the life around him better if he escapes the narrow bonds of writing inside the columns of a newspaper. The deal I made with my Thesis Committee Chairman was that I would write for various sorts of general audiences -- aiming at magazine publication."

I agree with the other five star reviews here, especially Miz Ellen's moving tribute. The essays are short, readable, funny and touching, and unforgettable.

Robert C. Ross2008

Unequalled in the Annals of True Crime
The Great Taos Bank Robbery would have occurred on November 11, 1957, except the bank was closed for Veterans Day.Thus it seems appropriate to write this review tonight in the hopes that it will post on November 12th, the actual date when the robbery did not occur.Tony Hillerman makes a convincing case for the bank robbery, noting the unique elements that one of the male malefactors was dressed as a woman, that the robbers waited in line with courtesy and patience, and that the getaway vehicle was borrowed from a local resident.Actual shots were fired at the minister, but this was after the robbers left the bank where the robbery did not occur.A three day manhunt ensued, during which time some of the residents bought the robbers groceries or otherwise fed them.Hillerman equates the Great Taos Bank Robbery of 1957 with the equally Great Taos Flood of 1935, noting that Taos does not have a river and receives very little rain.Hillerman's handling of this true crime narrative is masterly, but the reader is advised to proceed with caution as it is possible to hurt oneself laughing.

So begins an excellent little guidebook to the Four Corners region of America.Some of these little essays are somber "The Very Heart of Our Country" about the Navajos return to their homeland.Another one "We All Fall Down" is scary, detailing the propensity for the Black Death to stalk the region every few years.

Tony Hillerman died on Oct 26, 2008.This review is posted by a grateful fan.Because of his writings, I was inspired to make several visits to New Mexico and Arizona to see the landscapes he writes about.Thanks for the memories, Tony! ... Read more

Product Description

In this affectionate and unvarnished recollection of his past, Tony Hillerman looks at seventy-six years spent getting from hard-times farm boy to bestselling author. Using the gifts of a talented novelist and reporter, Hillerman draws brilliant portrait not just of his life, but of the world around him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Tony Hillerman: Seldom Disappointed
This is a warm fuzzy type of auto biography.Tony led a GOOD life and that is rare. The title was well chosen, the book seldom disappoints either.It's refreshing to read an auto-biography that has warm, loving memories of a childhood based in the 1930's (which mirrors my own childhood) and doesn't talk about all the bad times.They weren't.They were totally fun for a child.I'm sure adults of the time wouldn't agree, but for kids it really wasn't bad.Well worth reading a book beautifully written by one of my favorite authors.I deeply regret he's no longer with us.
Fay Slater

"Blessed are those who expect little"
"For they are seldom disappointed"
I started with the recorded book 11 CD set and listened to the book read by Tony Hillerman.Then I bought his book (ISBN 0-06-050586-9) for the pictures of family and friends, and to look at the spelling.

There are many five star books out there.However this book excels beyond the five stars.Being the memoir of Tony Hillerman this is really several books in one as he remembers his several lives from impoverished childhood through military, through collage student, through reporter, now writer.
This memoir gives us many insights as to what Tony draws on for material in his books.And any child can relate to many aspects of his childhood.His war experiences would rival "All Quiet on the Western front" and reflects the experiences of the most recent wars.I am now reading some of the source materials that he read for background of his novels.

."Seldom Disappointed" actually enhances the enjoyment of reading the Tony Hillerman novels.

People of Darkness (Jim Chee Novels)

Seldom Disappointed by Tony Hillerman
Beginning many years ago I have been a reader of books by Tony Hillerman.Originally I was captured by his information about the Navajo traditions being followed in current day.The characters portrayed the difficult mixture of adapting to modern life along with keeping intact the portions of their heritage that were important to each of their lives.Fly on the Wall, the first of his books I read that did not center on Indian culture I did not find as involving, though the difficulty of the main character in dealing with his conflicts carried similar adjustments to moral decisions followed in the face of personal danger.Finding Moon which also does not center on Indian culture again focused on the adjustment of the stretching of the main character's beliefs about himself to the reality in which he finds himself.Moon's character seemed to me to be more real as he struggled to keep going in the face of many obstacles and as he found himself to be more as others saw him.Seldom Disappointed in an excellent portrayal of Hillerman's real life as the background for his written work allows the reader to understand the energy that moved the characters forward, even when they might have wished to stay in a situtation to which they had become more comfortable.It is charmingly and informatively written with the personal details many authors might not reveal about themselves.His support from his family and friends mirrors the needs of some of his characters who frequently seem alone with their difficult decisions.I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read Tony Hillerman's books, or to one who enjoys learning about an author and may find his books now of interest.

"Blessed are those who expect little"
"For they are seldom disappointed"
I started with the recorded book 11 CD set and listened to the book read by Tony Hillerman. Then I bought his book (ISBN 0-06-050586-9) for the pictures of family and friends, and to look at the spelling.
There are many five star books out there. However this book excels beyond the five stars. Being the memoir of Tony Hillerman this is really several books in one as he remembers his several lives from impoverished childhood through military, through collage student, through reporter, now writer.
This memoir gives us many insights as to what Tony draws on for material in his books. And many aspects of his childhood can be related to by any child. His war experiences would rival "All Quiet on the Western front" and reflects the experiences of the most recent wars. I am now reading some of the source materials that he read for background of his novels.
. "Seldom Disappointed" actually enhances the enjoyment of reading the Tony Hillerman novels.

People of Darkness (Jim Chee Novels)

Just as promised
This was a gift for my wife who loves Tony Hillerman's writings, so it was important that the book be in the condition promised, and it was. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Beauty!

This book illuminates the imagined scenery!Makes me want to go there!Thank you, authors, for putting it together for us.
FDL

Good addition to Hillerman's Stories
Very interesting and informative book -- tells alot about the New Mexico Navajo land where the Hillerman's books are set.

I really enjoyed the book.
Twila

A Tribute to Tony, not a Review
Tony Hillerman's novels swept through their readership every few years like a flash flood in the Four Corners. They weren't great literature. They weren't even very well written sentence by sentence, but they expressed a kind of warm integrity and humanity that many people preferred to the hard-nosed cynicism and sadism of much popular fiction. Tony seemed to respect and cherish his two imaginary Navajo detectives, Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, as if they were living human beings. For that reason, they seemed "real" to readers also.

Tony Hillerman died a few days ago, at age 83. Let's hope he was buried in the sands of Monument Valley!

Catalog of Hillerman places
I was disappointed in this book.I expected a map of the 4-corners area or several mapswith details.This would have been fun to use as a reference as you read the Hillerman books to follow detectives Leaphorn & Chee travels thru Navajoland.Also, the few pictures that were in the book, were in black & white.That would have been OK if they had been sharper and crisper.

Navajoland
Well rsearched and presented.Although o.f most interest to Hillerman fans, I would carry the book on any western trip to Hillerman country, good descriptions of the country.Tie in with the Indian Country AAA Map issued by the Auttomobile Club of Southern California, and Tony Hillerman's Indian Country Map and Guide.Now that i have read all of Hillerman's books, and am not traveling west any longer, I regret that this bookwas not available earlier.Recommend possession,fun to browse, even when not reading one of the Leaphorn/Chee books.










... Read more

Product Description
Edited by Tony Hillerman, the Southwest's foremost suspense writer, this first-ever collection of mystery stories set in the West contains 20 original entries by such luminary mystery writers as Marcia Muller, Susan Dunlap, and Robert Campbell. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Hillerman is a good collector of mystery writers.
Although this book has the same Hillerman brand as all his other books, the writing is done by authors who write about the West.I was a bit disappointed when I realized this, but the disappointment didn't last.Hillerman knows his mystery writers as well as he knows the West.

These stories are written by really great writers who tell stories of the West.Each story is a keeper.If Hillerman hadn't spent his life writing books, he certainly could have found work in the publishing industry industry for his sense of who's a great writer.

The Mysterious West - Tony Hillerman and others....
Book written by other people, and is not as good as his usual.
Guess we are hooked on the Chee books!

The Mysterious West
Instead of throwing this item in with Hillerman's works, Amazon should have clearly highlighted that this was not WRITTEN by Hillerman, but is an anthology EDITED by him.

You gotta read it if you love the West


This is one of those books you want to tell people about, and find more ways to call it to the attention of other readers. For me, The Mysterious West was a surprisingly rewarding used-book-store find. If you want to try out authors of mystery stories set in the West, it would be difficult -- maybe impossible -- to find a better introduction than this one. I particularly enjoyed stories that Hillerman included from Linda Grant and Harold Adams.A few of their signature mysteries are still available through Amazon.

Mysterious West
This is an anthology of short stories by authors other than Tony Hillerman written in 1994.I generally only read science fiction anthologies, but it was pretty spooky that the very first story was set in an area I just drove 500 miles to check out as a place to live.Timber Cove is breathtakingly beautiful, but very isolated (and controlled by the coastal commission among others). ... Read more

Product Description
A rich gathering of essays that evoke the unique and mysterious appeal New Mexico has had for some of the twentieth century’s best-known writers. Included are selections by Mary Austin, Oliver La Farge, Conrad Richter, D.H. Lawrence, C.G. Jung, Winfield Townley Scott, John DeWitt McKee, Ernie Pyle, Harvey Fergusson, and Lawrence Clark Powell. Hillerman’s preface and introduction are choice specimens of his incisive humor and his own deep love of the state.

“Should be required reading for all those who call themselves New Mexican.”—James Arnholz ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Enchanted by New Mexico
Four visits to Albuquerque and surrounding areas have convinced me that I, too, have fallen under the spell of New Mexico as vividly described by the writers of this book.The book becomes especially meaningful to those who have visited New Mexico, but could also inspire others to make that first journey which will likely not be the last!!

Truly an enchanted land
I love New Mexico.I actually fell in love with the state before visiting it through Hillerman's mystery novels.Having been to Navajoland, Los Alamos, Espanola, Santa Fe, etc. but not having the ocasion to return, I bought this book to bring me back there as an armchair traveler.The word pictures created by the different authors are so vivid that I feel I am back there when I read them.Hillerman's foreword is an excellent description not only of the book but of his love for New Mexico.Sadly, Hillerman passed away in October of this year.Happily, his works and New Mexico, endure.

An exceptional collection of essays about the appeal of New Mexico
There are not many books that stay in print for thirty five years, especially one with such a narrow ambit, but this one deserves the honor.

Tony Hillerman has done an exceptional job of writing the Preface and the Introduction, and in collecting the eleven other essays contained in this excellent compilation. It's impossible to summarize the treasures; here are a few of the fragments I particularly enjoyed.

Tony Hillerman: "Pretentious as it sounds, and tough as it is to prove, there does seem to be something about New Mexico which not only attracts creative people but stimulates their creativity."

Oliver La Farge: "What is New Mexico, then? How to sum it up? It is a vast, harsh, poverty-stricken, varied, and beautiful land, a breeder of artists and warriors. It is the home, by birth or by passionate adoption, of a wildly assorted population which has shown itself capable of achieving homogeneity without sacrificing its diversity."

Winfield Townley Scott: "The breadth and height of the land, its huge self and its huge sky, strike you like a blow."

Ernie Pyle: "We like it here because we're on top of the world, in a way; and because we are not stifled and smothered and hemmed in by buildings and trees and traffic and people. We like it because the sky is so bright and you can see so much of it. And because out here you actually see the clouds and the stars and the storms, instead of just reading about them in the newspapers."

Oliver La Farge: "If you stay on, and if you keep quiet, the rhythms of drum, song, and dance, the endlessly changing formations of the lines of dancers, the very heat and dust, unite and take hold. You will realize slowly that what looked simple is complex, disciplined, sophisticated. You will forget yourself. The chances are then that you will go away with that same odd, empty, satisfied feeling which comes after absorbing any great work of art."

In a compelling way, this collection constitutes a "work of art", informed by an appreciation that D.H. Lawrence describes as "for greatness of beauty I have never experienced anything like New Mexico.... It had a splendid silent terror, and a vast far-and-wide magnificence which made it way beyond mere aesthetic appreciation."

If you have any interest in seeing New Mexico as a number of excellent writers do, this is the book for you.

Robert C. Ross2008

The Spell of New Mexico
This is a must read for anyone seriously interested in the state of New Mexico. ... Read more

Product Description
Retells a Zuäni myth in which a young boy and his sister gain the wisdom that makes them leaders of their people through the intercession of a dragonfly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The Boy Who Made Dragonfly
Wonderful book.This is really a story for all ages.Tony Hillerman put it in book form, but it is a Zuni myth and truly worth getting to keep to share with your children or as I did, my grand children.As with all legends there is something to learn and it is a lesson that never grows old.Beautifully told with wonderful art work.I purchased the earlier edition with the child and the dragonfly on the cover.Very satisfactory.....as was the dealer who sent it to me.I have found I can rely on Amazon to find what I want with reliable dealers to deliver the good.

this story is for young and old a like
I miss Tony Hillerman.
the man not only wrote great mystery novels, but was a great storie teller.
"the boy who made dragonfly" is a very good example of the above statement.
I would recomend this book to old and young a like.

Beaurtiful Native American Story
This book is a wonderful rendition of an ancient Zuni story.The hero, a young boy, takes care of his toddler sister when they are mistakenly abandoned by the tribe.The story is full of wonderful lessons about appreicating life's blessings, the importance of generousity, and caring for your family.Along the way you will get a sense of the Zuni way of being in the world.

Zuni Myth
I found this to be a very good myth.it goes well with my collection of indian myths and legends.

excellent for adults and children
We bought this for our daughter since she loves dragonflies. Tony Hillerman has wrote many good books for adults and we thought we would try this children's book. It is a Zuni story of creation and has good morals and teaches how we should live and not be greedy. I recommend this book for all. ... Read more

Product Description

At a moonlit Indian ruin—where "thieves of time" ravage sacred ground in the name of profit—a noted anthropologist vanishes while on the verge of making a startling, history-altering discovery. At an ancient burial site, amid stolen goods and desecrated bones, two corpses are discovered, shot by bullets fitting the gun of the missing scientist.

Customer Reviews (49)

Easy Reading
I read "Thief of Time" during a dory trip down the San Juan River. The perfect book for this occasion since the story took place in this area.

3.5 stars for this one --A good read.
This was my first Tony Hillerman and I liked it. I enjoyed the history, culture, the importance of respect when it comes to ancient ruins, burials and customs that are not widely understood or known about. I love books when I am entertained and learn something at the same time.I don't find it a five star effort, however.Hillerman is good but he's not Gabriel Marquez or Victor Hugo (my idea of 5 star work).When I go to a five star restaurant I don't want paper napkins and family dining.I want something absolutely remarkable and so extraordinarily unique and memorable it is burned forever into my brain and absolutely nothing else in the world equals it.I feel the same way about books.This book was a good read, but it was not great.The cultural details were interesting, the premise was compelling, but I felt the ending a wee bit too fast, too convenient, and not as believable as I'd like it to have been.Hillerman's strength are his two main characters Chee and Leaphorn, both are well drawn and admirable men.I also think he can dig deeper into what must be a vast knowledge of the land, the culture, and the people there and give us more.Still in all, a good read.

Greatest Hillerman story
This is my favorite Hillerman story - and I have read all his books.It was made into a movie which is pretty good, but as so often happens, the book tells a more detailed and much better story.If you like the SW, Navajo culture and Hillerman's tales, don't miss this one.It's GREAT!!

A thief of time is a pot pilferer
As with most Hillerman formulas, we have separate mysteries that overlap in time and place. Almost retired with just a few days to go Lt. Joe Leaphorn, Navajo Tribal Police, is looking for a missing anthropologist Dr. Eleanor Friedman-Bernal who disappeared, leaving an extensively prepared meal in the refrigerator. And Officer Jim Chee looking for a missing back-ho that he was supposed to be watching due to a chronic thieving problem.

Now do not jump to conclusions. Hillerman thinly veils his mysteries and you can pretty much guess the conclusion. This time it is a waste to try. We get his colorful description of the four corners country. Also, we get an insight into Navajo culture. You may go a little potty with details.

Hillerman's highwater point
Tony Hillerman's readings of his own novels are usually abridged versions,
but they grow on you once you become accustomed to his down home style.
A THIEF OF TIME was, for whatever reason, his breakthrough novel and he became famous. It was my own introduction to Chee and Leaphorn. There are others in this series I consider as good, but THIEF is indeed loaded with the atmosphere of place not even Zane Grey could equal. It also moves about the great four corners countryside over three states, capturing the essence of light and darkness typical of great writing. This is a bargain, too, a great start or addition to any Hillerman collection. It will satisfy any Hillerman fan and help fill the great void left by his passing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great cliff hanger
Joe Leaphorn can put the loose ends together even when no one else realizes there are loose ends.The story starts out with an old man being bludgeoned and later Leaphorn is intentionally almost rundown by a mysterious man in gold rimed glasses.He tries to tie these together.Then he uses an old robbery as an excuse to get out of a Boy Scout commitment and track down the antagonist.Needles to say the story gets more convoluted for everyone but Leaphorn.

This is an excellent story with the added plus of the description of the area and the Navaho that occupies this area.What seems at first to be over description later enhances the final scenes.

Speaking about the location and Navaho, even the schools, this story is even more enjoyable if you read "Seldom Disappointed" first.Tony describes how he comes by the plot and the people.He even goes out to locations first as research.

I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall adds a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words.I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.

Audio-Version does not do this book justice!
I listened to this book on tape, unabridged, and afraid IN THIS FORM it was drawn out and rather boring, hard to keep track of characters too.It is a much better "paper" read.Had hoped for more NativeAmerican cultural and religious education through this fiction; instead itwas a who-dunnit like almost any other.Did like the twist of having thedowntrodden fight back with modern technology and means, though.

This book was a good quick read.
I am an 8th grader and this book was a very quick read.It was very gripping and well written!I never got bored with it, and I finished it intwo days.I reccomend this book to anyone 5th grade and up who likesmystery or action books! ... Read more

Product Description
Determined to save her enfeebled brother's newly granted estate, Norman Lady Maria de Courson realizes that she may need the help of Rothgar, the Saxon warrior who has come home to the land he loves. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good starter set
The Blessing Way

"He stirs, he stirs, he stirs, he stirs,"

"Among the lands of dawning, he stirs, he stirs.
The pollen of dawning, he stirs, he stirs.
Now in old age wandering, he stirs, he stirs.
Now on the trail of beauty, he stirs,
Talking God, he stirs..."
It is in the 1970's pre-cell phone where parallel lives take place. We have an Indian wanted for a stabbing who turns up dead. Not just dead but in the wrong place. Not the wrong place but in a mysterious way. There is also a team of archeologists looking into which craft (they just may find it). One archeologist seems to be missing. A strange Navaho has his hat stolen but the silver hatband left. A woman is coming to visit her fiancé is in for an adventure she did not count on. From all of this Joe Leaphorn must make some sort of sense.
It is the descriptiveness of Tony Hillerman that goes beyond the mystery to pant a picture of a different world that we get to glimpse in the process of reading.
Read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall ads a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words. I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.
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Dance Hall of the Dead

The Fire God is missing

Twelve-year-old Ernesto Cata (Zuñi) is practicing to be the Fire God in a local ceremony. His best buddy George Bowlegs (Navaho) is a Zuñi wana-be.

Ernesto is missing and there is a pool of blood by his bike. The next day his buddy George runs off. It is up to Sgt. Joe Leaphorn to find the boys before anything happens to them (if it has not already.)

As with most of Hillerman's novels, everyone has different agendas and stories that overlap. There are alleged stolen artifacts form and archeological dig, and possibly a drug interest. They may or may not interact. We also get a good dose of Zuñi culture, and a feel that we are in the area.

Hillerman is nice enough to leave sufficient clues to let you figure out the mystery before Leaphorn and you then get to watch as he finally comes around to your way of thinking.

Another book by Hillerman "The Boy who Made Dragonfly" further describes the dance hall of the dead (Kothluwalawa.)

Author's Note:
"In this book, the setting is genuine.The village of Zuñi and the landscape of the Zuñi reservation are depicted to the best of my ability.The characters are purely fictional.The view the reader receives of the Sha'lak'o religion is as it might be seen by a Navajo with an interest in ethnology.It does not pretend to be more than that."

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Listening Woman

A great cliffhanger

Joe Leaphorn can put the loose ends together even when no one else realizes there are loose ends.The story starts out with an old man being bludgeoned and later Leaphorn is intentionally almost rundown by a mysterious man in gold-rimed glasses.He tries to tie these together.Then he uses an old robbery as an excuse to get out of a Boy Scout commitment and track down the antagonist.Needles to say the story gets more convoluted for everyone but Leaphorn.
This is an excellent story with the added plus of the description of the area and the Navaho that occupies this area.What seems at first to be over description later enhances the final scenes.
Speaking about the location and Navaho, even the schools, this story is even more enjoyable if you read "Seldom Disappointed" first.Tony describes how he comes by the plot and the people.He even goes out to locations first as research.
I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall adds a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words.I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.
... Read more

Product Description
In People of Darkness, Hillerman's first novel to introduce Officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police, Chee is forced to use all of his powers of deduction and insight to extricated himself from a deadly series of incidences involving a mysterious millionaire, a sinister, peyote-eating Indian cult, and what the New York Times called "an ingenious long-acting way of murder." In The Dark Wind, a seemingly routine stakeout at a vandalized windmill thrusts Chee into the center of a dangerous web of drugs, witchcraft, and betrayal. And in The Ghostways, a felon relocated under the Federal Witness Relocation Program sets off a chain of treachery and killings, and only Chee has the knowledge of the people and the landscape to understand the clues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

My Man Jimmy Chee Rocks!
This is a fantastic collection.Except, as I recall, Jim Chee smoked alot and drank way too much coffee.I had hearburn and a smoker's cough by the end of the 3 novels.But really - 3 fantastic stories & don't we LOVE the Dineh???Don't we WISH we were born to Running Feet and born for Talking Water?And Jim still has g-i-r-l problems.Things just don't work out with Mary... but we kind of knew that already.Enjoy!

Jim Chee Mysteries
I am a great fan of Tony Hillerman. I love his books. When he writes he makes the reader feel as tho you are there watching the story unfold. I am a retired Police Offier and I would love to work with Jim Chee if he was a real person. I am a book-a-holic. This is a club my 2 Sisters and I have formed. Great Book and writer !!!!!!!!!Elsie

Three Jim Chee Mysteries
---"People of Darkness"---

"The mole, his hunting place is darkness."

"The mole, his hunting song is silence."

Sgt Jim Chee of the Navaho tribal police is asked by the wife of Benjamin J. Vines to retrieve a mysterious box stolen from her husband's safe while he was away. When mister vines returns he tells Chee that it was all a mistake and hands Chee a check. We all know Chee can not let this lay still so the mystery leads him to people that use a mole for their talisman "The people of Darkness" and it appears that something (or someone) is killing them all off.

The mystery is fair and Tony Hillerman does not hide clues or surprise suspects to the last minute so it is not too hard to guess most of the plot or who the good guys and bad guys are. We are introduced to the Navaho concept of witches and Mary Landon who will play parts (if she survives) in future novels. In the process we get a vivid description of the four corners and other areas near buy. In People of darkness he picks up a Lota Burger and I have eaten a few of them my self. In future books we will be introduced to the Navaho Taco. For the anthropologist in us he describes many sings and ways.
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---"The Dark Wind"---

"A dark wind has entered his soul"

"Enemies unseen... Fears unspoken...... A dark wind has entered his soul"

Navajo Tribal Police Sgt. Jim Chee seems to be batting zero; so far he has not been able to solve a series of seemingly unrelated crimes. In an area that was joint use land between the Navaho and the Hopi (now Hopi) Sgt Jim Chee is given the task of finding the vandal that keeps destroying a windmill placed there to make Hopi life easer. He hears an airplane landing in the dark of night with no lights. The plane crashes and leaves a dying pilot. Also a dead man sitting up against a rock with a note in his hand saying if you want it back contact...

Sgt Chee is told that it is probably drugs and federal jurisdiction. Chee is not supposed to go anywhere near or have anything to do with the case. He has his own problems with the mill, a missing thief, and a mysterious ritual death. Naturally he listens, and can not help it if they overlap.


One of the reasons for reading Hillerman's books maybe more important than the overlying mystery is the descriptions of the area and the Ways of the Navaho and Hopi. Hillerman suggests you also read "The Book of the Hopi" by Frank Waters.

Not as intricate as the book but still fun is the movie "Dark Wind" (Lou Diamond Phillips as Officer Jim Chee, Fred Ward as Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn)
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---"The Ghost Way"---

Shoot out at the Wash-O-Mat

A Shoot out at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat leads to a puzzle that only Jim Chee with his knowledge of the Ghostway and of death rituals can try to peace together. Related is a disappearance of a school girl (Margaret Sosi) will lead Jim from the New Mexico landscape to the Los Angeles area. There with Hillerman's gift for description we also get a contrasting look of the different worlds. Will He find the girl and what does the puzzle spell out, or will it ever become clear?
This is a close continuation of "People of Darkness" so many of the descriptions and people were previously defined in that book. The reason people read Hillerman is mostly for the descriptions of the places and people his characters encounter. As seen in previous books, in the description of Margaret and other characters, he incorporates his real life experience with World War II and its aftermath.

Jim Chee is not the Slim Man!
Jim Chee takes himself seriously, but Tony Hillerman only wants to tell you a great story while inclucating in you some respect for a culture you may not know.If you've read Hillerman, I don't need to tell you much.The first Chee books are wonderful because they are the development of the character.If you started with later novels, go back and read the early ones!This collection is a great place to start! Ah, but then you'll be hooked, and you'll have to buy all of Hillerman's work! DO IT!!Your reading will tell you much more than my enthusiams will do here!

ASM ... Read more

Product Description

Old Joseph Joe sees it all. Two strangers spill blood at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat. One dies. The other drives off into the dry lands of the Big Reservation, but not before he shows the old Navajo a photo of the man he seeks.

Customer Reviews (1)

Shoot out at the Wash-O-Mat
A Shoot out at the Shiprock Wash-O-Mat leads to a puzzle that only Jim Chee with his knowledge of the Ghostway and of death rituals can try to peace together. Related is a disappearance of a school girl (Margaret Sosi) will lead Jim from the New Mexico landscape to the Los Angeles area. There with Hillerman's gift for description we also get a contrasting look of the different worlds. Will He find the girl and what does the puzzle spell out, or will it ever become clear?

This is a close continuation of "People of Darkness" so many of the descriptions and people were previously defined in that book. The reason people read Hillerman is mostly for the descriptions of the places and people his characters encounter. As seen in previous books, in the description of Margaret and other characters, he incorporates his real life experience with World War II and its aftermath.

... Read more

Product Description

For acting lieutenant Jim Chee, the murder of a Navajo Tribal Police Officer seems like an open-and-shut case when he discovers a Hopi poacher huddled over the victim's butchered corpse. However, Chee's newly retired predecessor, Joe Leaphorn, believes otherwise.

Customer Reviews (2)

Navajo Sacrifice
Tony Hillerman has once again created a fresh and involving entry in his fine series about the Navajo Tribal Police. Leaphorn has retired in this one and is at loose ends after the death of his beloved wife, Emma. Chee is the acting Lieutenant, but has reservations over the possibility of it becoming permanent. There is a little less of the Navajo mysticism in this entry, but the vast territory covered by the Navajo Tribal Police is given its due as always.

Hillerman dedicated First Eagle to the six officers who had given their lives in the line of duty from the time he wrote his first book until this one. It is only fitting that while keeping true to the Navajo atmosphere always present in the series, good police work and the very real dangers involved for the Tribal Police are brought to the forefront.

Leaphorn is asked to look for the missing Catherine Pollard and that unofficial inquiry will intersect with Chee's investigation into an officers death. Chee's case is seemingly all wrapped up, but may be more complex than it first appeared. He is chagrined to discover he is still a little intimidated by Leaphorn, but as the two cases cross paths they will once again peel back a little more of the veneer and come a little closer to understanding each other.

This one has everything from poaching eagles to the possibility of the bubonic plague being spread all across the Navajo landscape. Why a pack of prairie dogs are unaffected, and an old Navajo woman who claims to have seen a skinwalker will figure greatly into the exciting conclusion to this one. The ending is also heartfelt for Chee, as his relationship with the pretty lawyer Janet begins to flame out, for she may be Navajo in name only after her time in Washington.

I highly recommend reading the book itself, as this is a particularly good one, but if you can't find the time, this audio version will certainly give you a taste for more of Hillerman's series. One of his best, I believe.

You can see the Hillerman pattern
Because this story was my first access to Tony Hillerman, I can tell you of the worth of this story without having to compare to earlier works. This was a recording Preformed by George Guidall.

I was going for the story. That is why I buy book. However, I understand that many people buy Hillerman for the ambiance. I found enough supporting information to make this story stand alone with out having to have a broad background from earlier books. I found the mystery well designed and the characters well rounded.

I have traveled in the locations mentioned in the book. However, I only recognize a few of the place names. Probably if I was more familiar with the people of that regain, I would have picked up on other things implied and described. I did however recognize the San Francesco Mountains and Shiprock. The big recognition shocker was the reference to the Navaho Taco. Last time I was at Mesa Verde they were five dollars.

George Guidall narrated the story; he has played leading roles on Broadway.

This book stands alone yet makes you want to start the series.

Be aware that this is abridged. This means that you are missing either some great descriptive narration or the subtle clue to the solution. If possible, you will want the complete version.

The First Eagle (Jim Chee Novels)

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Product Description

Three of New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman's most popular novels -- a must-have anthology from one of the great masters of suspense.

Customer Reviews (6)

Tony Hillerman
We read ALL the Tony Hillerman books as they came out over the years and enjoyed hearing them while on our trip.They're so interesting not only in the Indian lore shared, but also the relationships explored in each story.

Three of a kind
Skinwalkers

"Sun will be created - They say he has planned it all."
Skinwalkers are witches in the Navaho legends and can fly or turn themselves into a dog or wolf. This mystery involves the conflict between Skinwalkers and shamen and belegana medicine. Then again, it may be a straightforward set of independent murders. In any event, it looks as if someone is out to kill Navajo Tribal Police Officer Jim Chee and he does not have a clue as to why.
As with all of Tony Hillerman's stories, you have the feeling you are there. In fact if you have visited or live in the area (Four Corners canyons) that the mystery takes part in, you will be better able to identify with the people and landmarks. And as with his other books, there is an overt and covert story.
I have read the book but the addition of the voice of George Guidall ads a dimension to the story by helping visualize the people and correcting pronunciation of certain words. I suggest you read the book and listen to the recorded version.
I first saw the TV version of Skinwalkers with Robert Redford. He has a habit of redfordizing stories for his own agenda. This book was so strongly written that I thought Redford did not have a chance to modify it.I was wrong.
The book is much more in depth and the motive and additional characters made the mystery much more intriguing.
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A thief of time is a pot pilferer

As with most Hillerman formulas, we have separate mysteries that overlap in time and place. Almost retired with just a few days to go Lt. Joe Leaphorn, Navajo Tribal Police, is looking for a missing anthropologist Dr. Eleanor Friedman-Bernal who disappeared, leaving an extensively prepared meal in the refrigerator. And Officer Jim Chee looking for a missing back-ho that he was supposed to be watching due to a chronic thieving problem.

Now do not jump to conclusions. Hillerman thinly veils his mysteries and you can pretty much guess the conclusion. This time it is a waste to try. We get his colorful description of the four corners country. Also, we get an insight into Navajo culture. You may go a little potty with details.

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"They teach us that everything has two forms."

Jim Chee sits drinking coffee while partner Tribal Policeman Delbert Nez meets his demise. Chee catches the obvious perpetrator. A Navaho shaman, with a bottle in one hand and THE gun in his belt.Case closed.

Because of his guilt at not backing up his partner and at the insistence of Chee's on again and off again relationship with the defending attorney, Janet Pete, Chee must find out for him what happened and if he may have made a mistake.

Because of a relationship through is dead wife with Ashie Pinto's (the defendant) clan and also being pushed by Dr. Bourbonette (anthropologist), who insists that Ashie is being railroaded, Joe Leaphorn but also investigate from a different angle. He is constantly thinking about what his dead wife Emma would say in the situation.

Both men are pushed into what looks like an endless amount of overlapping mysteries of which the murder of Delbert Nez is just one. They - and we - must deal with the history of the CIA and that of witches.

Tony Hillerman: The Leaphorn & Chee Audio Trilogy
The late Tony Hillerman was a master of his craft.Not knowing the Navajo Language this CD set helps with the pronuciation of many words Mr. Hillerman used in his text.The mythology and traditions he wrote about come to center stage in his books and came to life with the audio version.A great mystery is always entertaining and hard to put down!!Great CD's, I highly recommend them!

Tony Hillerman classic!
Wonderful mystery that takes you to the Navajo Rez and instills awe and mystery of the culture and landscapes all while tangling you up in a story so compelling that you hope your driving won't end before the tale is told!Makes long, boring roadtrips fly by!

love these novels
I love the Chee Leaphorn novels just wonder where leaphorn retired and what was the first Leaphorn/ Chee novel ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

No better murder mysteries than Tony Hillerman's
Tony Hillerman stories are fabulous for putting the reader in the middle of the Navaho culture. You can almost taste the dust and see rain move across the mountains. His characters feel real and the stories are engaging.

Mystery and Navajo Beliefs
Those looking to latch onto a great mystery series who have yet to discover Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee are in for a real treat if they pick up this one. Tony Hillerman created an entire genre with these novels, and though they've been copied, no one has ever quite found the blend of Native American beliefs and traditions and modern day mystery Hillerman perfected. Coyote Waits is perhaps a shade less the spectacular read Skinwalkers and Thief of Time are, but is excellent nonetheless. When Chee feels responsible for the death of fellow officer Delbert Nez, he and Leaphorn will take different roads in their investigations of a case which seems open and shut. But ancient Navajo tradition and modern day government agencies will both lead the reader to a satisfying mystery.

Skinwalkers is one of Hillerman's finest pairings of young Navajo Tribal Police Officer, Jim Chee, and the legendary Lt. Joe Leaphorn. This one begins when a shotgun blast into Jim Chee's trailer brings he and Leaphorn together in an effort to figure out how the attempt on Chee's life ties together with two other murders in the sprawling Indian territory they have jurisdiction over.

The seasoned Leaphorn begins to have respect for young Chee as they work on different ends to solve this mystery. Leaphorn has his own personal problems to deal with as well in this entry; his beloved wife may have the onset of Alzheimer's disease. It is a distraction he can't afford when things become more and more dangerous. Sprinkled throughout this complex and entertaining mystery novel are insights into the Navajo people, from the way they speak to their customs and broad family ties. But the thread that may tie everything together is something the older Leaphorn despises, and the younger Chee embraces. That aspect of the investigation is the complex mythology of Navajo witchcraft. You see, the killings may involve something very ancient in the Navajo culture, called a Skinwalker.

This is simply a great read. It starts in a languid pace which takes on an urgency as the body count starts to rise and the good police work of Leaphorn and Chee may not be enough to save either of them. Chee is getting noticed for his smart police work in the New Mexico desert, but he is also getting noticed as an Hataalli (Medicine Man) who can perform The Blessing Way, and it will play an integral part in this great book. Skinwalkers is like an orange soda on a hot day in the New Mexico desert. While many view this as the best in the series, I believe Thief of Time might even be better.

Thief of Time has atmosphere to spare and Leaphorn and Chee are fleshed out more than usual in this terrific read. Both Chee and Leaphorn are dealing with personal issues as this mystery begins. Chee hasn't quite figured out how he feels about Mary leaving him because he could not leave his Navajo way of life behind and move to the city with her. He is smitten with a pretty Navajo attorney named Janet, but she's with someone else. Leaphorn meanwhile is on terminal leave and retiring after the unexpected death of his beloved wife, Emma. Niether he or Chee can explain his obsession with finding a missing pot hunter named Eleanor Friedman-Bernal. No Navajo would be involved, as stealing pots like this would make one a "Thief of Time" according to Navajo tradition.

Chee's letting a rather large backhoe get stolen right under his nose will have ties to Leaphorn's investigation, and once more the young policeman with an appreciation for the old ways of the Navajo will be investigating with Leaphorn all across the Navajo territory. This one will stretch all the way into Utah and down the San Juan River. Leaphorn will be reminded of young boy's death by drowning before this one wraps up. That memory will have ties to Eleanor's disappearance, who was into pots made by the mysterious Anasazi. But her interest was also anthropological, and someone might think what she has discovered is worth killing for. Leaphorn and Chee will be hundreds of miles apart when they reach the same conclusion in this complex mystery. One will have to race to the other as things turn ugly, and two very different men will find commom ground when Leaphorn asks the unexpected of young Chee. Thief of Time is a real gem, Hillerman's descriptions of the thousand foot cliffs along the San Juan River at night and a starry sky filled with Navajo mystery will enthrall you.

If you've never read this mystery series there is no better way to get acquainted with Chee and Leaphorn than these three entries. They are quite fantastic.

"They teach us that everything has two forms."
Jim Chee sits drinking coffee while partner Tribal Policeman Delbert Nez meets his demise. Chee catches the obvious perpetrator. A Navaho shaman, with a bottle in one hand and THE gun in his belt. Case closed.
Because of his guilt at not backing up his partner and at the insistence of Chee's on again and off again relationship with the defending attorney, Janet Pete, Chee must find out for him self what happened and if he may have made a mistake.
Because of a relationship through is dead wife with Ashie Pinto's (the defendant) clan and also being pushed by Dr. Bourbonette (anthropologist), who insists that Ashie is being railroaded, Joe Leaphorn but also investigate from a different angle. He is constantly thinking about what his dead wife Emma would say in the situation.

Both men are pushed into what looks like an endless amount of overlapping mysteries of which the murder of Delbert Nez is just one. They - and we - must deal with the history of the CIA and that of witches.

From the Inside Jacket
"Hillerman has become a national literary and cultural sensation."
-Los Angeles Times

Three of New York Times bestselling author Tony Hillerman's most popular novels are together for the first time in one volume.

Tony Hillerman is one of the most revered and honored mystery writers published today.This stunning collection includes the critically acclaimed novels 'Skinwalkers', 'A Thief of Time', and 'Coyote Waits', all of which have been adapted for PBS by producer Robert Redford.This is a must-have anthology from one of the great masters of suspense.

In 'Skinwalkers', three shotgun blasts explode into the trailer of Officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police.Chee survives to join partner Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn in a frightening investigation that takes them into a dark world of ritual, witchcraft, and blood--all tied to the elusive and evil "skinwalker."

In 'A Thief of Time', a noted anthropologist vanishes at a moonlit Indian ruin where "thieves of time" ravage sacred ground for profit.When two corpses appear amid stolen goods and bones at an ancient burial site, Leaphorn and Chee must plunge into the past to unearth the astonishing truth behind a mystifying series of horrific murders.

And in 'Coyote Waits', it wasn't the car fire that killed Navajo Tribal Policeman Delbert Nez--a bullet did.Officer Jim Chee's good friend Del lies dead, and a whiskey-soaked Navajo shaman is found with the murder weapon.The old man is Ashie Pinto.He's quickly arrested for homicide and defended by a woman Chee could either love or loathe.But Pinto won't uttter a word of confession or denial.Leaphorn and Chee must unravel a complex plot involving a historical find, a lost fortune, and the mythical Coyote, who is always waiting, and always hungry.

The Leaphorn & Chee Novels
I first read the Jim Chee Mysteries after spending quite some time in the Navajo reservations and Gallup. These stories (Leaphorn & Chee Novels) are every bit as evocative of the country and people of the Navajo nation. Hillermans descriptions easily transport me from a damp England to the smell and feel of the desert and canyons of the Big Reservation. That and his accurate desciption of the nature of the Navajo keeps me reading, oh yeah "the mysteries are pretty good too !" ... Read more

Product Description
Against the sublime beauty of the American southwest, Tony Hillerman has created his unique landscape for murder and mystery. Like any great mystery writer, he is able to give us insights into the sensibilities of his characters, and Tony Hillerman has spent years getting to know the Navajo people. On this recording he reads two of his most poplar novels.

Product Description
This book portrays the unique landscape of the American south west in both words and pictures. Hillerman affectionately describes the land of his stories and what draws him to the land - what planted the seeds of each novel. He speaks movingly about the people who inhabit the land, from the Indians - Navojos, Mepis, Zunis who have lived there for centuries, to the Anglos who chose to settle in such forbidding surroundings. He explains the customs and cultures of these peoples, and how they shaped their world. In each case his vivid and entracing text is accompanied by photographs taken by his brother, Barney Hillerman. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Exquisite Photos; Exquisite Prose
"Hillerman Country" by Tony Hillerman.Subtitled: "A Journey Through The Southwest".
Photographs by Barney Hillerman.HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.

There is much beauty in the excellent photographs in this book.There is much beauty in the excellent prose in this book. I have been a fan of Tony Hillerman's Navajo Police novels, and I like Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn.So, I lean towards Tony Hillerman's writing.

When I worked as an engineer, my job took me to Phoenix, Albuquerque and Sandia.Had a tour of Sandia Labs and went up the tram to Sandia Peak. My memories of the Southwest include hot concrete sidewalks, steaming asphalt parking lots and little lizards.Back in the East, we have little chipmunks running around amongst the trees.In Hillerman's Southwest, you saw tiny lizards scampering around the trees in the parking lots.My point is that most of us see only the populated centers and this Hillerman book emphasizes the lands where people are few and far between. The book is wonderful.

I've written reviews on Hillerman's Chee/Leaphorn/Navajo novels. I was more impressed with the writing in this book because Tony Hillerman would enter an excerpt from one of his novels as the caption for a beautiful photo that his brother, Barney Hillerman, had taken.You can look at Barney's picture and then read the caption from Tony's novel, and then say "Wow! His words do a great job of describing the scene".

So, if you're a fan of the writer, buy the book for the prose.If you're a fan of Nature's beauty, get the book for Barney's photos; you'll get views that most of us never see. In either case, this book is excellent.

wonderful quality and service on a rare book
Wonderful quality and service on a hard to find book which sells for much, much more on other sites

Fantastic
Gorgeous pictures to go along with a wonderful book.You can tell that Tony Hillerman really belonged in this part of the country.If you enjoy his work, I highly recommend this book and also the book "Seldom Disappointed."

The Southwest
This is the latest of the books that I have read by Tony Hillerman. While writing entertaining fictional storys, his addition of real places makes them very believable. My next project is to visit these places using this book as my guide.

"Behind him above the dark red sandstone wall of the mesa,..."
"...a skyscape of feathery cirrus clouds stretched southward toward Mexico. To the west over the Painted Desert, they were flushed with the afterglow of sunset" From `Dance Hall of the Dead"

At a book signing in Ft. Worth to benefit a homeless shelter, Tony Hillerman expressed how much fun it was to make this book with his brother Barney.

This book contains 200 spectacular pictures from all over Hillerman country. Many pages are picture only with the caption on the page prior or after. The text among the pictures is a combination of history and exerts from Hillerman novels. Now when you read the novels these pictures will come to mind.

Re3ading this book and looking at the pictures will make you homesick even if you have never been there.
... Read more

Product Description

During a kachina ceremony at the Tano Pueblo, the antics of a dancing koshare fill the air with tension. Moments later, the clown is found bludgeoned to death, in the same manner a reservation schoolteacher was killed only days before.

Customer Reviews (3)

review in progress
As I purchased 'Sacred Clowns' for a friend in Italy, I can't comment on its efficacy as a learning tool (better understanding of English) but I will ask for his appraisal once he has used it.I bought both the cd and the novel, and I know, as a secondary English teacher, this combination can be highly effective, despite the cd being an abridgment.What I can say however is how quickly the product arrived. And this is something I particularly like about Amazon: the speed (efficiency) with which they attend to an order.

Thought Provoking
Hillerman shows how our point of reference colors what we see and hear and how we respond.For instance, clowns may be admonishing rather than entertaining. This one leaves you paying closer attention to your actions and how they may be viewed.Oh, there is a mystery to solve, but I got more wrapped up in the Indian Culture and the contrasts.

Abridge and miss the ambience
Great novel however I would not waste time with an abridgment unless you are strapped for time as you miss the ambience.

This time we confront a different Pueblo People the Hopi. In the Hopi there are sect or Koshari societies; they do not practice curing; they are concerned with fertility and growth. Their religion is more personal than public and clans are most important.

Along With a new people we are treated to a piece of history; The Spanish had a tradition of The Canes of Office here. Governors and lieutenant governors and the like were issued a cane as a symbol of office. Ten years after the Gadsden purchase. The Indians stayed neutral curing the Civil War. So President Abraham Lincoln has some canes made of black ebony and crowned with silver inscribed with his signature, "A. Lincoln." These where given the nineteen different pueblos, each cane had the pueblo name on it.

Tony Hillerman spins his magic once more in this story of missing people and a death that may be related or religion and again maybe just down right greed. Chee and Leaphorn bust work together to find meaning and reason. In the Hillerman tradition all the clues are laid out in the open allowing you to bet them to the conclusion if you can.

Good companion book for this story is "American Indians of the Southwest" by Berth P. Dutton

... Read more

Product Description
In 1929, Dorothy L. Sayers published her landmark anthology, The Omnibus of Crime.More recently, Tony Hillerman and Rosemary Herbert decided it was time to produce a definitive new anthology representing the best of the genre since then - the critically acclaimed A New Omnibus of Crime. This extraordinary collection emphasizes the most exciting styles and voices in each genre, rather than taking a typical decade-by-decade approach. As a result, A New Omnibus of Crime boasts a broad range of engaging, page-turning, and spine-tingling selections from the past eight decades.Stories in this collection include Patricia Highsmith's "Woodrow Wilson's Necktie," Sue Grafton's "A Poison That Leaves No Trace," Alexander McCall Smith's "He Loved to Go for Drives with His Father," and many more.A New Omnibus of Crime is a marvelous achievement that brings together some of the greatest crime and mystery short fiction ever collected. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A worthy successor
Over 80 years ago, Dorothy L. Sayers published the end-all, be-all crime anthology, //The Omnibus of Crime//. But with the decades of storytelling since, the genre has grown, evolved, and become something wholly unpredictable. A new omnibus was long overdue. But who would have the audacity to evoke the memory of Sayers's classic tome?

Tony Hillerman and Rosemary Herbert answered the call, creating a chronicle of crime writing encompassing the last hundred years, and picking up right where Sayers left off. They assembled a legion of genre favorites: P.D. James, Donald E. Westlake, Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, Ed McBain, Dennis Lehane, Elmore Leonard.

And while the collection falters in places, there are some excellent tales to be found within. Dashiell Hammett's "The Girl with the Silver Eyes" is a classic private eye story, replete with twists and turns, while "Woodrow Wilson's Necktie," a story by Patricia Highsmith, takes us into the mind of the aspiring criminal. Ruth Rendell's "Loopy" is exceedingly creepy, while Jeffrey Deaver's "Copycat" is an ominous page turner.

There is truly something for every crime fan within the pages of //A New Omnibus of Crime//, but only time will tell if it matches its predecessor.

Reviewed by Glenn Dallas

Great Read and Overview of the Genre
Title says it all. I especially enjoyed seeing how the conventions of the genre have changed over the years, and was pleased at how well represented women writers were.Not a dud in the book, but lots of variety, and new authors to check out.

An Impressive Collection
Three-quarters of a century ago, Dorothy L. Sayers, the doyenne of mystery writers, assembled an anthology of work by her peers that provided an overview of the genre in 1928.

Now, Tony Hillerman and Rosemary Herbert have followed suit in providing a new anthology which seeks to do the same for mystery writing in the modern era.

Whether they have succeeded in providing a gathering equivalent to that of Miss Sayers may depend as much on personal taste of the reader as on the quality of the assembled works. That they have gathered an impressive collection of works by writers from the 1930s to the present goes without saying. The collection also illustrates the changes which have taken place in style, characterization and attitude.

The anthology begins with a gem of a story by Miss Sayers and concludes with a charming little piece written by Alexander McCall Smith especially for this volume. Hillerman, himself, is represented with two stories. There are tales by many familiar names and I was pleased to be introduced to a few writers new to me who will now be added to my reading list.

This is a volume worthy of any mystery-lover's bookshelf.

Delicious selection of page-turners
An unbeatable combination: Excellent mystery stories with varied flavors all packed into one beautiful hardbound book. Wish it was Christmas! Men and Women authors are well represented, both male and female protagonists are featured. The collection features all my favorite crime genres: The slick thriller, the tranquil suburban shudder, the whodunnit as well as my favorite PIs. Here is detective fiction at its best, lovingly packaged and presented. Go forth and enjoy! ... Read more