Laughing Boy

Capturing the essence of the Southwest in 1915, Oliver La Farge's enduring American classic depicts a young, Navajo couple experiencing all the uncertainties and joys of first love. At a ceremonial dance, the young, earnest silversmith Laughing Boy falls in love with Slim Girl, an "American"-educated Navajo. La Farge's debut novel also vividly evokes the beauty and majesty of the Southwestern landscape. In 1930, Laughing Boy was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for the novel that best presents "the whole atmosphere of American life."