The Ancient Child: A Novel (Paperback)

by N. Scott Momaday (Author) "Never had Grey to quest after visions..." (more)
Key Phrases: pray that today, medicine bundle, Billy the Kid, Ill Ill, Lola Bourne (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From The Washington Post

"An intriguing combination of myth, fiction, and storytelling that demonstrates the continuing power and range of Momaday's creative vision.... As Momaday's vision unfolds, the reader recognizes storytelling that is coninuous and timeless.... These are magical words. Listen."

Review

"A tour de force of clarity and brilliance." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"Some of the finest writing about the plains I've ever read...The Ancient Child comes as close to a book-length prose poem as any novel you'll see this year. Put aside your normal expectations and let it have its way with you, and you'll be in for a real treat." -- Alan Cheuse, "All Things Considered" (National Public Radio)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (September 12, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060973455
• ISBN-13: 978-0060973452
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #171,166 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > United States > Native American > Momaday, N. Scott
  #3 in	Books > Literature & Fiction > Authors, A-Z > ( M ) > Momaday, N. Scott

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful and beautiful novel about the American West, February 1, 2002

By	L. Barden "larsky" (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Momaday, as you probably know, won the Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for his first novel, "House Made of Dawn." In that book, the hero, torn between the Native American world and modern America, and deeply affected by his Vietnam war experiences, finally disintegrates, unable to continue fighting the forces trying to destroy him.

Twenty years later, Momaday published his second book, "The Ancient Child," and it's just as powerful, just as beautifully written, as his first.

The premise is similar to the first book. A man is torn between two worlds, tormented by nightmares, and finds himself drawn to the desert. He finds his destiny, and it too is disintegration. But whereas the disintegration in "House Made of Dawn" is a violent, tragic event, in "The Ancient Child" it comes across as a process of spiritual resolution and healing, rather than destruction.

That's why I regard this book as superior to its Prize-winning predecessor. Momaday's vision seems more holistic, more encompassing in this book. His first novel's tragic vision leaves you haunted and a little horrified. This book will leave you equally haunted, not in horror, but in quiet awe of the inevitable metaphysical reckoning we all must undergo when we leave this world, and the paths we take to get there.

Read it.

11 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How fantasy mixes with reality, January 18, 1997

By A Customer

I love this book. It's my favorite by Momaday. The main female character, Grey, is strong and fascinating: "Set remained curious about Grey - Grey had taken hold of his imagination..." (pg 69). Grey also has all sorts of daydreams that affect her 'real' life, and her 'real life' has some very strong affects on those she meets. It's a great book! Oh, and then there's the main male character - Set, an artist who has a breakdown that gets him back in touch with family and heritage (and Grey). But Grey is my favorite. For more info on reviews & stuff about this book, visit: http://users.mwci.net/~lapoz/N.Scott.Momaday.html

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beautiful and Poetic Art of Identity, April 16, 2009

By	Geoffrey R. Tourville - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Ancient Child by N. Scott Momaday, copyright 1934, ISBN 0-385-27972-8, and published through Doubleday, is a story about the crisis of identity and one man and woman's struggle to discover their true selves. Written as four books, The Ancient Child explores the undeniable tie to identity and the discovery of how the soul truly exists.

There's an enlightening quality to the novel that leaves the reader with a deeper understanding of the major themes and how these ideas of identity, feminism, land, and languages are tied to a true identity. By working through two separate characters, Set and Grey, who struggle with the same identity crisis, the reader is able to perceive the intricacies of such an issue and the unique ways in which a person must find and establish who they are. The Ancient Child is truly a masterful work that combines the sweet poetic language of a dream world with ruthless punches of reality to create a story that can resound through the hearts of readers across generational and cultural boundaries. Through the use of Spanish, Navajo, and Kiowa words, phrases, myths, and traditions, the reader becomes embroiled in the world of Momaday and the depth of the lives of these struggling characters. The beauty of the world that surrounds these characters is often eclipsed by their desperation for a true and whole identity and the harshness of their realities. Delicately portrayed and profoundly thought provoking, The Ancient Child is truly a work of art.

If you're searching for a book that will challenge your perceptions of reality and introduce you to a world where myth, legend, dreams, and fantasy still hold a powerful sway, then The Ancient Child is a must read. The Ancient Child is excellent for any reader, college age or above, who is searching for an intellectual challenge and a gateway to a world interweaved with the words of Native languages. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this powerful, beautifully articulated work to anyone and would gladly pursue the text again and again.

--Loretta Haskell