STORYTELLER Paperback - 1981

New York: Arcade, 1981. First paperback edition. paperback. A nearly fine clean copy in decorated perfect bound wrappers. Oblong 8vo. Author's second published book. A collection of works, including photographs, poetry, and short stories. "Storytelling is an integral part of Native American tradition. It goes back hundreds of years, and spans the continent from ocean to ocean. It was the means by which tribes and nations communicated from generation to generation their feats, legends, and religious beliefs. These stories had a magical quality; they were both real and wondrous, and they had the power to bring the people together as nothing else did. Here, the author demonstrates that storytelling is not only alive but still imbued with the power to move and deeply affect us." Weaving a magical spell the author re-creates the ancient stories, in prose and poetry (the distinction for the Native American is far less than in the European tradition), spicing them with the realities of her own experience. They are stories of her own family; of Great Grandma A'mooh, of grandpa Hank and Susie and Aunt Susie's daughter Bessie; they are the archetypal stories filled with characters like Old Ayah and Yellow Woman, Buffalo Man and Humingbird. Tales infused with a sense ofd tradition and love of place, yet filled too with the harsh realities of hunger, poverty and injustice. In this work, what Leslie Silko has given us is, in a real sense, a Native American 'Roots." Illustrated from photographs.