Writing the Southwest

First published in 1995, this assemblage of interviews, bibliographies, excerpts, and criticism on fourteen of the Southwest's most important authors has been updated and expanded. The accompanying 74-minute compact disc provides excerpts from the authors. Tony Hillerman discusses how blindness in the army helped shape his writings; Terry McMillan explains her start as a writer and why she thought, when she was young, that African-Americans didn't write books. Each recorded interview ranges from 4 to 10 minutes.

Reviews of the first edition:

"Much more than an ordinary compilation. . . . A vivid composite of the region's best-known writers, Writing the Southwest is an excellent sampling of unique viewpoints and deep roots."-Publishers Weekly

"The writers included here . . . represent the vital ethnic mixture of the Southwest past and present. . . . For modern literature students, as well as those who are curious about the backgrounds of some of their favorite writers, this is a good choice."--Kliatt