Had it not been for some unfortunate connotations that I had with Hillerman (he was the author of choice for a particularly Wicked Stepmother), I would have most likely read his whole oeuvre by now. When he died earlier this year, I decided to make like a good Southwesterner and rectify this omission in my reading list. The problem was I didn't really know where to start. (I was told by an enthusiastic library volunteer in Oro Valley, AZ that I should just start at the beginning and work my way through, but that seemed a little more time consuming than I was ultimately prepared for.) In the end, a discount book rack in Portland, Maine made my decision for me. I started with Listening Woman because I was able to buy it for a dollar. This ended up being a good introduction, I think, even if it was pretty arbitrary. A little further research and I now know that this is one of the few Hillerman mysteries featuring just Joe Leaphorn; his counterpart (and subordinate) Sgt. Jim Chee is introduced relatively early on in the series. It's also not one of the more high profile (read: multi-awarded, movie-versioned) novels. This combined leads me to believe that I had a rather organic introduction to the Leaphorn series. Listening Woman had a number of things to recommend it--good characterization, evocative descriptions of the harsh and beautiful landscape of the Navajo Reservation where the book takes place, and snappy pacing. On the flip-side, the plot was, from the get-go, unnecessarily complicated--involving three separate cold-cases that come together to form one master crime scenario, the ending (though exciting) drug out far too long, and descriptions of action (dynamite exploding and killing people, notably) was rendered in such a way to make it unclear to the reader where people were and what exactly was going on. In the end, though, two things about this novel stuck out to me. Firstly, there's the empathetic descriptions of Navajo culture and traditions (especially when contrasted/dramatized against the background of 'White' culture). About mid-way through the novel, Leaphorn visits a Navajo clan during a Kinaalda--a sacred coming of age ceremony for a Navajo woman. The description of the ceremony itself is rather moving, but it was Leaphorn's reaction to it that really struck me:"Leaphorn found himself, as he had since childhood, caught up in the hypnotic repetition of pattern which blended meaning, rhythm, and sound in something more than the total of all of them...A girl becoming a woman, and her people celebrating this addition to the Dinee with joy and reverence. Leaphorn found himself singing, too. The anger he had brought--despite all the taboos--to this ceremonial had been overcome. Leaphorn felt restored in harmony.He had a loud, clear voice and he used it...The big man glanced at hime, a friendly look. Across the hogan, Leaphorn noticed, two of the women were smiling at him. He was a stranger, a policeman who arrested one of them, a man from another clan, perhaps even a witch, but he was accepted with the natural hospitality of the Dinee. He felt a fierce pride in his people, and in this celebration of womanhood."It's a short passage, but so much is conveyed in it--not only about Navajo customs that many would be unfamiliar with, but about Leaphorn as well. The other thing that stuck with me about this book is that contrary to my usual preferences, the amazing amount of coincidence and eventual connectivity of various, seemingly unrelated plot elements didn't bother me at all. In part, this is due to Leaphorn's own ethos: "Leaphorn didn't believe in [coincidence:]. He believed that nothing happened without cause. Everything intermeshed, from the mood of a man, to the flight of a corn beetle, to the music of the wind. It was the Navajo philosophy, his concept of interwoven harmony, and it was bred into Joe Leaphorn's bones." This alone might not have satisfied me, however--it's all well and good for Leaphorn to believe in "interwoven harmony," but in fiction, such connectivity generally strikes me as heavy-handed and simplistic. But Hillerman makes a practical point early on that though obvious, perhaps, wouldn't have occurred to me otherwise: "If two white strangers appeared at about the same time in this out-of-the-way corner, one headed for the Tso hogan and the other aimed in that direction, logic insisted that more than coincidence was involved."Definitely a promising start for me. I think I'll try Skinwalkers next, but if anyone has other recommendations, let me know.
Although I have read Hillerman in the past, I have decided to start at the beginning and read (and reread) his Navajo Mystery series in order; that alone should attest to the fact that these are really wonderful books. “Listening Woman” is the third in the series, and it was thus an early Tony Hillerman mystery. In it, Joe Leaphorn is younger that in the later books, and Leaphorn is a lot more of an action figure than in his later books where his character is dominated by the cerebral as he thinks through the problems and seems to avoid more of the action. Regardless, the story was interesting and compelling, despite a few short comings.In “Listening Woman,” Leaphorn faces a real mess of events: a group of Boy Scouts, a Catholic priest, a missing helicopter, a laughing man with gold-rimmed glasses who has tried to run Leaphorn down, a large vicious dog, a lost woman, and two strange, unsolved murders in a remote corner of the reservation. All the problems seem to connect in some way with Hostein Tso’s hogan. Hostein Tso is troubled and calls for ‘Listening Woman” and her assistant for a song. “Listening Women” knows that Tso will not reveal all he knows to her; he is withholding a secret that goes back to his great-grandfather. “Listening Woman” goes away to speak with the spirits, and while she is in a trance, Tso and her assistant are murdered. Now the blind shaman speaks of witches, restless spirits, and of evil. But Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn of the Navajo Tribal Police is sure the monster who savagely slaughtered an old man and a teenage girl was human. The solution to a horrific crime is buried somewhere in a dead man's secrets.The battle of wits between Leaphorn and his opponents is interesting. The story starts strong, but the end is a bit predictable and a little over the top; hence a three instead of a 4 here. Still, it is definitely a good read. Hillerman’s skill as a story teller is excellent. His ability to develop local color is simply exceptional - excellent reference and description to the geography of the area and the Navajo culture.
What do You think about Listening Woman (1990)?
I have now read several of his books now and feel this one is the best one I have read. Joe given some cold cases to solve so he will not be babysitting a bunch of boy scouts meetimg on Navajo land. Included are a missing helicopter, take of am important individual, deaths of 2 Navajos and the man that tried to run over Joe. It takes place entirely on Navajo reservation so a lot of the Navajo way of life is explain. Joe's priority is the man. He finds the car and the driver and large dog are missing. He stops at McGinnis's store and learns about AIM some years ago. The problems are woven together nicely. On the way there are some twists and turns.
—Betty
In high school I was basically obsessed with Tony Hillerman books. Not really sure why, but I was. I tried to read all of his books in my school's library. The only thing I didn't like what I couldn't really figure out the order of the books, and so I read them out of order. These books are great. They are from a point of view from a cop who is caught between two words: Navajo and white. He treads back and forth between those lines, trying to find a balance while solving murders. Tony Hillerman is an excellent author. He is witty and engaging. He is a wonderful writer who comes up with the coolest story lines. Do it! Read the book, because who knows what new world one might fall into? What interesting characters with interesting lives you might meet and fall in love with? You won't know if you like it unless you give it a try. You won't know if you love them unless you crack open the cover and say "Chapter One...." What's the worst that could happen? The universe could implode.... but that's very unlikely. Honestly, what have you got to lose?
—Brianna
This is one of the earlier (published in 1978) books written by Tony Hillerman. Thus Navajo tribal policeman Joe Leaphorn is younger. A blind Navajo woman, Listening Woman, has come to diagnose an elderly man, Hosteen Tso, and tell him what Navajo ceremonies he needs to get well. A young woman, Anna Atcitty, has driven Listening Woman to the hogan of Hosteen Tso. Listening Woman has talked with Tso and while she is off thinking someone murders Hosteen Tso and Anna Atcitty. Since the murder occured on the reservation, it is really the case of the FBI. However, Leaphorn likes to have things settled so he gets himself involved. All this while he is trying to solve the disappearance of a helicopter, make certain a young lady, Theodora Adams, is safe and guard a troop of boy scouts visiting in the area. It is interesting to see how all of these cases come together.
—Diana
