The Unwritten Literature of the Hopi

by Hattie Greene Lockett

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion

108 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 11, 2012

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what it says on the tin!

This is Lockett's Master's thesis, from the 1930s. I was hoping it wouldn't be racist, patronizing, and provincial; I was disappointed. I also was expecting it to be about the "unwritten literature" of the Hopi, when in reality that is largely restricted to (at most) 20% of the book, at a chapter near the end.

It gets two stars because that unwritten literature IS interesting, and I learned some things! That one chapter earns both stars! That says it all, doesn't it?

[Robert Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A glimpse into another time

This book is part anthropology, part folklore and part history. I was able to learn more about the Hopi and their worldview, and how for them everything was imbued with significance and meaning, which is something I wish we had more of today.

[Jeff Posey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published in 1933, this is about as authentic a rendition as we're likely to get about many of the stories of the Hopi. Rather dry, but if you're interested in American literature as old as much European literature, this is a worthy read.