Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story: A Pulitzer Prize Winner

This 1930 Pulitzer Prize novel is a heart-rendering look at young lovers brought together at a time when their world is astir with changes of which neither of them can control nor understand. The emerging culture of Slim Girl who has been given a Christian education clashes with the traditional Navajo norms of Laughing Boy. LaFarge has given powerful glimpes into the lives of these people as it was being played out in the early years of the Twentieth Century. Within this context is a compelling love story that is near poetry as the author gives us an unvarnished look at their struggles.

I thoroughly enjoyed Oliver LaFarge's book, LAUGHING BOY, because the Navajos were portrayed authentically. There are not many books written that do justice to writing about Native American culture so I was pleasantly surprised to find out a non-Native American had written a novel about the Navajos. The novel presents the story of a young Navajo couple as they start their lives together. They are in a time when things are changing for their people and their way of life. The Navajos are no longer isolated and free from Anglo influences. The "civilizing" of the Navajos has started and Slim Girl has experienced it already when she meets Laughing Boy. The couple begin their life amidst this change and encounter other obstacles on their road to total happiness. Laughing Boy is a traditional Navajo and has yet to realize the world outside the reservation and this "innocence" could be Slim Girl's salvation. Slim Girl is out of harmony with herself and with her people. The novel does an excellent job conveying that harmony is the ultimate goal for Laughing Boy and especially, Slim Girl. The novel is similar to Willa Cather's, MY ANTONIA, in that, the readers may have preferred a different outcome for the characters, but what was written is more profound. I completely enjoyed reading LAUGHING BOY and recommend it to readers who may want to experience true Navajo culture and true love combined.

As an award-winning Arizona historian, I'd like to pass on that several Arizona pioneers and fellow historians recommended this book to me and I'd like everyone who is interested in Indian/Anglo relations to read it. LaFarge lived in the Four Corners area in the 1920s and published Laughing Boy as his masters thesis for an anthropology degree. And yet it is also fine writing, well crafted and as artistic as Laughing Boy's silver work. Along with "The Virginian" this is a very early example of western fiction which has survived the test of time. It's not often that one can absorb historical truths through fiction, but when done as well as this is, it is truly the best way to learn and enjoy.

This is a short novel that is very easy to read. Ienjoyed it very much and I would recomend that anyone looking for a good book, read this one. It is about the Navajo people and their customs. I am very glad that our professor required us to read it. The symbolism and the imagery are simple and clear. I can not stress how much I enjoyed this book

Very good book, I recommend you read it!