Talking Mysteries: A Conversation With Tony Hillerman

by Tony Hillerman

Hardcover, 1991

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

Biography & Memoir

Biography

Fiction

Collection

Where:MB

Publication

Univ of New Mexico Pr (1991), Edition: 1st, 135 pages

Description

In Talking Mysteries, Tony Hillerman discusses his craft, including his approach to plot, characterization, and setting, and the wrinkles and twists that make his brand of fiction unique. These and other insights into how he writes emerge in an extended interview with his long-time friend and fellow author Ernie Bulow. An autobiographical piece by Hillerman details his early years in Oklahoma, first encounters with Navajo culture, and his eventual life as journalist and author. Navajo artist Ernest Franklin created twelve sketches of Hillerman characters for this book. Hillerman credits Franklin with "showing me what Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn look like." As an additional treat, a Jim Chee mini-mystery, "The Witch, Yazzie, and the Nine of Clubs," originally published in 1981 and long unavailable, is included.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member lilithcat

If you're a Tony Hillerman fan, I urge you to find this book. The bulk of it is an interview of Hillerman by Bulow, about Hillerman's work, how he came to set his books in Navajo country, how he writes, a lot of great stuff about the process of writing that should be of interest even if you're not

a Hillerman devotée. There's also an essay by Hillerman on similar themes; a short story, a "Jim Chee mini-mystery"; and several drawings by Ernest Franklin, originally intended for one of Hillerman's books. This is a great glimpse into how an author works, where his ideas come from, and how he makes those ideas flesh.

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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna

I quite enjoyed the interview with Tony Hillerman - he was self-effacing, interesting, and funny. The short story included in this volume is familiar to those who have read "The Blessing Way". Don't read until after you have read the novel! The introduction by Ernie Bulow was annoying - I had this

feeling that he saw himself as the great "Navajo expert" and Mr. Hillerman was just using the culture as window dressings. So he came across as condescending. Still - the whole thing was a short read and gave a little glimpse into Mr. Hillerman's intents and processes in writing his series of novels.

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