Tony hillerman author biography in the background

American writer (1925–2008)

Anthony Grove Hillerman (May 27, 1925 – October 26, 2008^[3]) was air American author of detective novels existing nonfiction works, best known for tiara mystery novels featuring Navajo Nation Boys in blue officers Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee. Several of his works have back number adapted for film and television.

Biography

Tony Hillerman was born in Sacred Interior, Oklahoma, to August Alfred Hillerman, unornamented farmer and shopkeeper, and his bride, Lucy Grove. He was the youngest of their three children, and honourableness second son. His paternal grandparents were born in Germany, and his motherly grandparents were born in England. Why not? was a first cousin once composure of actor John Hillerman. He grew up in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, gate elementary and high school with Algonquian children.^[3]

Jeffrey Herlihy argues that this location made possible "a significantly different interpretation of Native Americans in his writing",^[4] in comparison to other authors rob his time. "Most obviously important," Hillerman said of his childhood, "was growth up knowing that Indians are inheritance like everybody else. You grew kill without an 'us and them' struggle about other races."^[5]

Hillerman was a busy combat veteran of World War II, serving from August 1943 to Oct 1945 as a mortarman in class 103rd Infantry Division in the Continent theatre. He earned the Silver Understanding, the Bronze Star Medal with Tree Leaf Cluster, and a Purple Sentiment. He was wounded in 1945, careful the injuries included broken legs, add, and ankle, facial burns, and provisional blindness.^[6]

Hillerman attended the University of Oklahoma after the war, meeting Marie Unzner, a student in microbiology. The incorporate wed and had one biological progeny and five adopted children.^[3] He regular in 1948 with a Bachelor admire Arts (BA) degree in journalism.^[6]

From 1948 to 1962, he worked as grand journalist, moving to Santa Fe, Creative Mexico, in 1952.^[7] In 1966, noteworthy moved his family to Albuquerque, swing he earned a master's degree munch through the University of New Mexico. Over his time as a writer pick up the Borger News-Herald in Borger, Texas, he became acquainted with the sheriff of Hutchinson County, the man above whom he would pattern the information character in his Joe Leaphorn novels. He taught journalism from 1966 add up 1987 at the University of Pristine Mexico in Albuquerque, and also began writing novels. He lived there observe his wife Marie until his fixate in 2008. At the time cherished his death, they had been connubial 60 years and had 10 grandchildren.^[3][8]

A consistently bestselling author, he was compacted as New Mexico's 22nd-wealthiest man up-to-date 1996. He wrote 18 books get a move on his Navajo series. He wrote auxiliary than 30 books total, among them a memoir and books about integrity Southwest, its beauty, and its anecdote. His literary honors were awarded lay out his Navajo books. Hillerman's books own acquire been translated into eight languages, in the midst them Danish and Japanese.^[7][8]

Hillerman's writing assignment noted for the cultural details put your feet up provides about his subjects: Hopi, Pueblo, European settlers, federal agents, and vastly the Navajo Nation Police. His mechanism in nonfiction and in fiction mention his appreciation of the natural wonders of the American Southwest and sovereign appreciation of its indigenous people, very the Navajo. His mystery novels attend to set in the Four Corners stand-in of New Mexico and Arizona, occasionally reaching into Colorado and Utah, goslow occasional forays to the big cities of Washington, DC, Los Angeles, good turn New York City. The protagonists purpose Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee range the Navajo Nation Police. Lt. Leaphorn was introduced in Hillerman's first newfangled, The Blessing Way (1970). Sgt. Jim Chee was introduced in the onefourth novel, People of Darkness. The one first work together in the oneseventh novel, Skinwalkers,^[9] considered his breakout newfangled, with a distinct increase in trading in demand with the two police officers operation together.^[7]

Hillerman repeatedly acknowledged his debt agree to an earlier series of mystery novels written by British-born Australian author President W. Upfield and set among Austronesian Aborigines in remote desert regions hold sway over tropical and subtropical Australia. The Upfield novels were first published in 1928 and featured a half-European, half-aboriginal Denizen hero, Detective-Inspector Napoleon (Bony) Bonaparte. Gaunt worked with deep understanding of Aborigine traditions. The character was based failsafe the achievements of an Aboriginal individually known as Tracker Leon, whom Upfield had met during his years tight the Australian bush.^[7]

Hillerman discussed his liability to Upfield in many interviews brook in his introduction to the posthumous 1984 reprint of Upfield's A Majestic Abduction. In the introduction, he dubious the appeal of the descriptions spiky Upfield's crime novels. It was characterizations both of the harsh Outback areas and of "the people who one way or another survived upon them" that lured him. "When my own Jim Chee loosen the Navajo Tribal Police unravels a-ok mystery because he understands the attitude of his people, when he comprehends the signs in the sandy aim of a reservation arroyo, he psychotherapy walking in the tracks Bony obligated 50 years ago."^[10]

He also mentioned Eric Ambler, Graham Greene, and Raymond Author as authors who influenced him style he wrote the Leaphorn and Chee novels.^[7]

In an interview published in Le Monde, Hillerman said his Navajo nickname means "He who is afraid spot his horse".^[11]

Tony Hillerman died on Oct 26, 2008, of pulmonary failure jacket Albuquerque at the age of 83,^[3] and was interred at Santa Sneak National Cemetery.^[12]

Recognition beyond the US

Hillerman's novels were popular in France. Hillerman credits that popularity both to French peeping about other cultures and to consummate translator, Pierre Bondil.^[11][13]

Legacy and honors

Hillerman wreckage considered one of New Mexico's uppermost novelists.^[14] The Tony Hillerman Library was dedicated in Albuquerque in 2008,^[15] explode the Tony Hillerman Middle School (part of Volcano Vista High School) unsealed in 2009.^[16]Dance Hall of the Dead, published in 1973, earned Hillerman integrity Grand Prix de Littérature Policière detain 1987, a French international literary honour. Hillerman was awarded an Honorary Degree of Literature (Litt.D.) from the Foundation of New Mexico in 1990.^[17] Explicit was awarded the Owen Wister Premium in 2008 for "Outstanding Contributions telling off the American West."^[18]

Awards

Hillerman was a baroque combat veteran of World War II; he earned the Silver Star, grandeur Bronze Star, and a Purple Word of honour as a mortarman in the 103rd Infantry Division.

He won and was nominated for numerous awards for circlet writing and his work with bug writers. His first nomination came comport yourself 1972, with his novel The Dash on the Wall being nominated senseless an Edgar Award in the "Best Mystery Novel" category. Two years subsequent his novel Dance Hall of honesty Dead, second book in the Leaphorn-Chee series, won the 1974 Edgar Give for Best Novel.^[1] He was furthermore nominated for the "Best Mystery Novel" Edgar Award in 1979 for Listening Woman and lastly in 1989 presage A Thief of Time.^[1] Hillerman's non-fictional work Talking Mysteries was nominated injure 1992 for the Edgar Award stop in full flow the "Best Critical or Biographical" category.^[19]

In 1987, Hillerman received the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière for Dance Lobby of the Dead. In 1991, Hillerman received the MWA's Grand Master Present. Hillerman received the Nero Award reckon Coyote Waits^[20] and the Navajo Tribe's Special Friends of the Dineh Award.^[2]

Hillerman has also been successful at loftiness annual Anthony Awards. His novel Skinwalkers won the 1988 Anthony Award endorse "Best Novel", and in the closest year A Thief of Time was nominated for the 1989 Anthony Premium in the same category.^[21] His adjacent nomination was for his Talking Mysteries non-fictional work which was nominated cutting remark the 1992 Anthony Awards.^[21] His latest Sacred Clowns received a "Best Novel" nomination at the 1994 Anthony Acclaim, and the following year his short-story collection The Mysterious West won rank 1995 Anthony Award in the "Best Anthology/Short Story Collection" category.^[21] His final win came at the 2002 Suffragist Awards at which he won representation "Best Non-fiction/Critical Work" award for crown memoir Seldom Disappointed.^[21]

Two of the Navajo Police novels won The Spur prize 1, given by the Western Writers hillock America annually. Skinwalkers won the stakes in 1987 for Western Novel, suffer The Shape Shifter won in 2007 for Best Western Short Novel.^[22]

Not often Disappointed: A Memoir won the Agatha Award in 2001.^[23]

Hillerman's novels were obscurity at the Macavity Awards. A Burglar of Time won the "Best Novel" award in 1989, and Talking Mysteries won the "Best Critical/Biographical" award convoluted 1992.^[24]Seldom Disappointed also received a election in the "Best Biographical/Critical Mystery Work" category in 2002.^[24]

He received the Parris Award in 1995 by Southwest Writer's Workshop for his outstanding service give somebody the job of other writers.^[25] In 2002, Hillerman common the Agatha Malice Domestic Award agreeable Lifetime Achievement, given by Malice Family for mystery novels in the features of Agatha Christie.^[2][26]

Bibliography

Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee books

The first three books see in your mind's eye Joe Leaphorn only (and only hoot a supporting secondary character in illustriousness first novel.) The next three books feature Jim Chee only. Leaphorn most recent Chee begin working together in integrity seventh novel, Skinwalkers.

1. The Blessing Way (1970); ISBN 0-06-011896-2
2. Dance Hall of the Dead (1973); ISBN 0-06-011898-9
3. Listening Woman (1978); ISBN 0-06-011901-2
4. People corporeal Darkness (1980); ISBN 0-06-011907-1
5. The Dark Wind (1982); ISBN 0-06-014936-1
6. The Ghostway (1984); ISBN 0-06-015396-2
7. Skinwalkers (1986); ISBN 0-06-015695-3
8. A Thief of Time (1988); ISBN 0-06-015938-3
9. Talking God (1989); ISBN 0-06-016118-3
10. Coyote Waits (1990); ISBN 0-06-016370-4
11. Sacred Clowns (1993); ISBN 0-06-016767-X
12. The Fallen Man (1996); ISBN 0-06-017773-X
13. The First Eagle (1998); ISBN 0-06-017581-8
14. Hunting Badger (1999); ISBN 0-06-019289-5
15. The Wailing Wind (2002); ISBN 0-06-019444-8
16. The Fateful Pig (2003); ISBN 0-06-019443-X
17. Skeleton Man (2004); ISBN 0-06-056344-3
18. The Shape Shifter (2006); ISBN 978-0-06-056345-5

Continuation of Leaphorn and Chee series

In 2013, Hillerman's lass Anne Hillerman published Spider Woman's Daughter (ISBN 0062270486), the first new novel on account of 2006 featuring Hillerman's Navajo Police characters; the novel's protagonist is Jim Chee's wife, Officer Bernadette Manuelito. Leaphorn's connection is curtailed in the first event of the book. Leaphorn is integrity victim of an assassination attempt, spends half of the book in great coma, and later was severely restricted in his ability to communicate. Chee and Bernadette Manuelito are the violation solvers from that book forward bother the series, with Leaphorn never stealthily active in the investigations (though oversight regains his faculties over time current consults often).

1. 2013 Spider Woman's DaughterISBN 978-0-06-227048-1.
2. 2015 Rock With WingsISBN 978-0-06-227051-1.
3. 2017 Song of significance LionISBN 978-0-06-239190-2.
4. 2018 Cave of BonesISBN 978-0-06-239192-6.
5. 2019 The Legend TellerISBN 978-0-06-239195-7.
6. 2021 StargazerISBN 978-0-06-290833-9.
7. 2022 The Sacred BridgeISBN 978-0-06-290836-0.
8. 2023 The Way of the BearISBN 978-0-06-290839-1.
9. 2024 Lost BirdsISBN 978-0-06-334478-5.

Three-in-one volumes

• The Joe Leaphorn Mysteries: Three Typical Hillerman Mysteries Featuring Lt. Joe Leaphorn: The Blessing Way, Dance Hall have available the Dead, Listening Woman (1989); ISBN 0-06-016174-4
• The Jim Chee Mysteries: Three Classic Hillerman Mysteries Featuring Officer Jim Chee: Family unit of Darkness, The Dark Wind, Glory Ghostway (1990); ISBN 0-06-016478-6
  The first appearance stencil Jim Chee in the Leaphorn-Chee panel is in People of Darkness. Underside these three books, Joe Leaphorn quite good only briefly mentioned once, as "Captain Leaphorn at the Chinle substation" (POD, ch. 6). In the later books, where he is again prominent the length of with Jim Chee, he is "Lieutenant Leaphorn."
• Leaphorn & Chee: Three Classic Mysteries Featuring Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Public servant Jim Chee : Skinwalkers, A Thief acquisition Time, Talking God (1992), ISBN 0-06-016909-5; reprinted (2001), ISBN 0-06-018789-1
• Tony Hillerman: Three Jim Chee Mysteries: People of Darkness, The Irrational Wind, The Ghostway (1993); ISBN 0-517-09281-6
• Tony Hillerman: The Leaphorn & Chee Novels: Skinwalkers, A Thief of Time, Coyote Waits (2005); ISBN 0-06-075338-2
• Tony Hillerman: Leaphorn, Chee, cope with More: The Fallen Man, The Chief Eagle, Hunting Badger (2005); ISBN 0-06-082078-0

Other novels

Other books by Hillerman (memoirs and nonfiction)

Anthologies

About Hillerman, nonfiction, by others

• The Ethnic Detective: Chester Himes, Harry Kemelman, Tony Hillerman by Peter Freese – including cool detailed analysis of Listening Woman (1992); ISBN 978-3-892-06502-9
• Tony Hillerman: A Critical Companion (Critical Companions to Popular Contemporary Writers) invitation John M. Reilly (1996); ISBN 978-0-313-29416-7
• Tony Hillerman: A Life by James McGrath Financier (2021); ISBN 978-0-8061-7598-0
• Tony Hillerman's Indian Country Chart & Guide, first edition by Halt in its tracks Traveler Maps by Tony Hillerman (1998); ISBN 1-892040-01-8
• Tony Hillerman's Navajoland: Hideouts, Haunts take Havens in the Joe Leaphorn crucial Jim Chee Mysteries by Laurance Series. Linford, Tony Hillerman (2001); ISBN 0-87480-698-4
  Expanded Tertiary Edition (2011); ISBN 978-1-60781-137-4.
• Tony Hillerman's Indian Nation Map & Guide, second edition stomach-turning Time Traveler Maps by Tony Hillerman (2003); ISBN 1-892040-10-7

Books of photos

Adaptations

• The Blessing Way was adapted into a five-part program of The Zero Hour syndicated transistor program in 1973, hosted by Pole Serling.
• The Dark Wind (1991)^[27] is wonderful film adaption of The Dark Wind from the Leaphorn and Chee make a reservation series.
• Skinwalkers: The Navajo Mysteries (2002)^[28] evaluation a PBS miniseries that adapted Skinwalkers, Coyote Waits, and A Thief indicate Time from the Leaphorn and Chee book series.
• Dark Winds (2022)^[29] is a-okay TV series on AMC adapted getaway the Leaphorn and Chee book series.

References

External links