Tony Hillerman was born in the farm town of Sacred Heart, Oklahoma on May 27, 1925. He was one of the three children born to the Hillermans. His father worked the land and was also a general store supervisor. His father was extremely fond of the Native American culture. His parents refused to send him to public school, and so he attended St. Mary’ s Academy and then went to high school with the Native American kids.
He joined the United States Army in 1943 and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and the Purple Heart after having been injured. After returning home, Tony worked as a journalist at the University of Oklahoma. He eventually reached the status of editor of the New Mexican.
Tony began writing his detective novels located in the Navajo area of the Southwest. The Navajo's religious way of life and many good moral values are much acclaimed in his novels.
His mysteries highlighted two Navajo cultural policemen who offered insight into the native people and culture of the Southwest. The Blessing Way was published in 1970 and introduced Lieutenant Joseph Leaphorn and officer Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police. Hillerman liked to focus his novels in the regions of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. His writing is noted for its exploration of not just the Navajo tribe, but the Hopi and Zuni as well.
His tribal mystery novels were acknowledged and praised for their distinctive intermingling of crime and customary tribal principles.
