Writing Out Loud, 2007
“Written with great dignity, the book has something about it of the timeless, of that long view down which the Kiowa look to their myth-shrouded beginnings.” —New York Times
N. Scott Momaday
(1934–2024)
Though N. Scott Momaday considered himself primarily a poet, he won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, House Made of Dawn (1968), which many critics believe inspired a new generation of Native American writers. In fact, poet Joy Harjo acknowledges Scott’s influence in her memoir, Crazy Brave (2012).
Scott, Oklahoma’s Centennial Poet Laureate, published numerous collections of poetry, but many critics consider The Way to Rainy Mountain (1969), a cultural memoir, to be his masterwork. The book is illustrated by Scott’s father, the noted Kiowa painter Al Momaday.
Related listings: Wilma Mankiller and Joy Harjo
Did You Know...
N. Scott Momaday was fascinated by Billy the Kid and has written poems about him.Getting Started with N. Scott Momaday
Selected WorksHouse Made of Dawn, 1968
The Way to Rainy Mountain, 1969
Again the Far Morning: New and Selected Poems, 2011
The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture