Tony Hillerman was an award-winning author of Western novels. Shortly before his death at 83 years old in 2008, Hillerman shared some stories about his life; his reasons for choosing some of the characters he wrote about and how he got started writing. Hillerman was a decorated World War II soldier, and ended up in a wheelchair after suffering injuries in combat. He was raised on a farm in Oklahoma, and did not want to farm when he went back home. Hillerman had always been a voracious reader, and while he was recovering, he wrote a short story. His work was published, and that was the beginning of what turned out to be a wonderful career.
Hillerman was raised in Navajo country in Oklahoma, and Navajo culture fascinated him. His first novel, “The Blessing Way” was about a Navajo ceremony that cured the evils of war for the young Indians who returned home from the war. Hillerman wrote eighteen books in the Navajo series, which were mystery novels. Characters included a younger Navajo detective who believed in spiritual connections and a more cynical detective. Hillerman’s books help others understand Indian cultures and traditions, and many authors followed with the same message.
Hillerman told a story with such descriptive language that the reader felt they were visiting the southwestern U.S. and experiencing the life and cultures of the Native Americans themselves. Hillerman’s books were his effort to preserve the native culture. In early 2000, Robert Redford produced a PBS series based on three of the novels. Redford also produced, “The Dark Wind,” movie version in 1991. Hillerman wrote an autobiography of his life, “Seldom Disappointed.” The name is representative of how he felt about his life.
