Into the Canyon:
Seven Years in Navajo Country
by Lucy Moore
University of New Mexico Press
2006
pp. 236
Paperback
ISBN 978-0-8263-3417-6
$19.95
Synopsis
In 1968, Lucy and her husband left the comforts of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for Chinle, Arizona, heart of Navajo country. Young, naive and very idealistic, they were ready for adventure and committed to making a difference. Into the Canyon: Seven Years in Navajo Country is a memoir of those years that describes the challenges of being an outsider in a foreign culture with remarkable honesty and a good dose of humor. Moore found a variety of ways of "doing good," including teaching Headstart, serving as Justice of the Peace and selling car insurance. The book is entertaining and thoughtful, as Moore recounts poignant and funny moments in her own journey of acculturation, set against the political and social backdrop of Arizona in the 60's and 70's.
Read an excerpt
- Courtesy of the University of New Mexico Press
Read reviews
“Well-written with a great deal of heart and soul...a literary window into a unique time and place.” -- Southwest Book Views, Spring 2005
“...a valuable and, yes, entertaining read.” --Journal of Arizona History
“Should be required reading for anyone who has a desire to work with the Navajo people.” --Peterson Zah, Arizona State University, former president of the Navajo Nation
“Ms. Moore’s recollection of time spent in Navajo County is a beautiful and spirited tribute to Chinle culture. Moreover, we are given a glimpse into what it means to be affected by a place, time, and people. Beautifully constructed.” -- Women Writing in the West
“Never a false note. Clearly written, candid, and funny . . . an engaging read.” -- Peter Iverson, historian and award-winning author of Diné and For Our Navajo People
“A delight to read; an invaluable historical and cultural narrative. . . . A good deal of my first novel, Ceremony, was inspired by Chinle, but I didn’t fully appreciate just how much was going on during those years until I read Lucy’s book.” -- Leslie Silko, author of Gardens In the Dunes and Ceremony
About the author
Lucy Moore is a facilitator and mediator specializing in public policy, environmental, and cross-cultural issues. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Into the Canyon won the 2005 Willa Award for Best Memoir from Women Writing the West. The book is available in audio format, and the set of 9 CDs, unabridged, read by the author are now available at www.lucy-moore.com.
Visit your local library to borrow a copy of Into the Canyon: Seven Years in Navajo Country. Or purchase it from University of New Mexico Press.