Tony Hillerman, He Who Is Afraid Of His Horse, Is Born

Tony Hillerman (submitted photo courtesy of Hillerman family)

It was a delight to notice that today is the birthday of Anthony Grove “Tony” Hillerman. Tony Hillerman is, of course, the author of the renowned Navajo Nation Police mysteries.

Only two days ago I finished Song of the Lion, his daughter Anne’s third installment of her continuation of his mysteries featuring Navajo police detectives Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee – now also including Bernadette Manuelito as a major character.

Personally I feel Anne Hillerman, with Song of the Lion, her third contribution to the series, while continuing to honor her father’s legacy is solidly finding her own voice. I recommend her to anyone who has read and loved her father’s books. Actually to anyone. That said, I still think you will want to begin with Tony Hillerman’s original series.

Tony was born, as I noted, today, the 27th of May, in 1925, in Sacred Heart, Oklahoma. In the Second World War he saw combat, was badly hurt, earning a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart. He returned to Oklahoma for college. There he met and married Marie Unzner.

They moved to New Mexico, where they remained for the rest of their lives. He and Marie would have one biological child and five adopted children. He became a journalist, actually his daughter Anne would end up writing for the same newspaper he once served as an editor.

Inspired by the novels of Arthur Upfield who wrote movingly and accurately of Australian aboriginal culture through a series of murder mysteries, he wrote his first novel, the Blessing Way, featuring the now iconic Navajo detective, Lt Joe Leaphorn. In People of Darkness, his fourth run out, he introduced Sgt Jim Chee. He introduced Bernadette Manuelito in the Fallen Man, the twelfth of the eighteen-volume series. She would would become a central character in his daughter’s continuation…

His books would prove wildly successful. Marilyn Stasio in his obituary for the New York Times wrote:

“For all the recognition he received, Mr. Hillerman once said, he was most gladdened by the status of Special Friend of the Dineh (the Navajo people) conferred on him in 1987 by the Navajo Nation. He was also proud that his books were taught at reservation schools and colleges.

“’Good reviews delight me when I get them,’ he said. ‘But I am far more delighted by being voted the most popular author by the students of St. Catherine Indian school, and even more by middle-aged Navajos who tell me that reading my mysteries revived their children’s interest in the Navajo Way.’”