I was introduced to Professor Tony Hillerman's unique fictional tales (described as tribal mystery) that are set on the Navaho Indian Reservation when I was in high school, as assignments included reading his books The Blessing Way and Dance Hall of the Dead and doing reports on them. The books had compelling characters and intriguing plots that kept one's interest. Later on, I read a few other of his books after they were published in the 1980s and 1990s, but it never seems like I find time to indulge in fiction with everything else I like to read and keep up on in the nonfiction genres. Hillerman was a decorated combat veteran of World War II, a journalist at and editor of The Santa Fe New Mexican (among other newspapers), and a Professor of Journalism at the University of New Mexico. He had 22 books of fiction, several three-in-one volumes of nonfiction, 12 books of nonfiction, and five books of photos published over his long illustrious writing career with one more book of fiction that may be published posthumously. He was honored on a number of occasions professionally for his works and also by the Navaho tribe. Hillerman leaves his wife of 60 years, Marie; six children; and a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. -
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