The Lightning Within

An Anthology of Contemporary American Indian Fiction

by Alan R Velie

American Indian stories have fascinated the world for all the right reasons: vigor, depth, subtlety, brightness. In the 1960s a brilliant renaissance began. Out of it came such gifted writers of fiction as N. Scott Momaday, James Welch, Leslie Marmon Silko, Gerald Vizenor, Simon Ortiz, Louise Erdrich, and Michael Dorris. In bringing them together, The Lightning Within celebrates some of the best work being done today in the novel and short story.

"This work is intended as in introduction and overview, and it serves that purpose nicely. Velie’s anthology . . . [offers] some of the finest writing available. Highly recommended."—Library Journal. "An ideal introduction . . . especially for readers of American western history who may be unaware of what Indian literary artists are revealing, in their considerable work, of the contemporary Indian spirit."—James McKenzie, North Dakota Journal of the Northern Plains.

"The Lightning Within is a path to some of the best Indian fiction of the past twenty years, as well as to a true understanding of Native peoples."—Commercial Appeal (Memphis). "The richness of much of this writing comes from the countless multiple pressures and identities that are part of being Native American."—Window.

Alan R. Velie, a professor of English at the University of Oklahoma, has written a general introduction and headnotes to each selection. He is the author of Four American Indian Literary Masters and other books.

— ©1991