The Death of Sitting Bear

Starred review from January 1, 2020

This volume of new and selected poems arrives as Momaday approaches his 86th year, and, as such, ought to be treated as a summation of his work in poetic form. Momaday's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, House Made of Dawn (1968), ushered Native American literature into the American literary consciousness, and Momaday has remained a crucial voice and presence since. As the poet says in the preface, his early work reflects Kiowa oral tradition, but he has absorbed numerous influences, including Emily Dickinson, Yvor Winters, and Thom Gunn, and the fruit is seen in this immensely varied collection--including prose poems, haiku, free lyric, epigram, and unrhymed iambic pentameter. Witness the eloquence of "The Dragon of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges" ("Now pastoral the military ruin;/ The haze of the valley is sweet-scented.") The poetic tribute to Kiowa chief Sitting Bear ideally reconciles Momaday's heritage with his elegance in iambic hexameter. VERDICT An admirable capstone to a distinguished literary career, this splendid selection should be a treasure for Momaday's readers and an excellent introduction for those new to Native American writing. --Graham Christian, formerly with Andover-Harvard Theological Lib., Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2020
In the 50 years since his groundbreaking novel, House Made of Dawn (1968), won the Pulitzer Prize, Momaday has established himself as a preeminent voice in Native American literature. Momaday's influential oeuvre includes novels, folklore, poetry, memoir, stories, plays, children's books, and mixed media work, and this generous collection of new and thoughtfully selected older poetry showcases more than a hundred short poems, many consisting of a single stanza, energized by imagistic brevity: "In my dream, a blue mare loping, / Pewter on a porcelain field." Enlivened by Momaday's gift for depicting the natural world ("The patchwork of morning on gray moraine") and situated against his sense of living mythology ("Time is the red rock and the blue cloud floating above Olijeto"), each poem reflects a lifetime of writing across the intersections of history, identity, and language. The collection also includes a section, "A Century of Impressions," made up of one hundred haikus as well as a brief section on the famous Kiowa warrior, Sitting Bear. This accessible compendium allows readers to savor the life's work of an unparalleled poet.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Listening to N. Scott Momaday's deep, rumbling voice is the perfect way to experience his beautiful, accessible poetry. Throughout, he reflects on his Kiowa heritage, humanity's relationship to nature, and the power of language, narrating in a resonant voice, both powerful and familiar. His diction is exacting, making every word shine, but his narration is never distant; he speaks like a beloved elder, with both reverence and playfulness. The audiobook contains three sections. In the first, a series of formal poems, often rhyming, explores nature, aging, travel, and history. The second section is a series of beautiful haikus--keen observations of ordinary moments. The third section features the titular poem, in which Momaday celebrates the life of Sitting Bear, an honored Kiowa warrior. L.S. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine