Product Description

Thirty years since its original publication, Ceremony remains one of the most profound and moving works of Native American literature, a novel that is itself a ceremony of healing. Tayo, a World War II veteran of mixed ancestry, returns to the Laguna Pueblo Reservation. He is deeply scarred by his experience as a prisoner of the Japanese and further wounded by the rejection he encounters from his people. Only by immersing himself in the Indian past can he begin to regain the peace that was taken from him. Masterfully written, filled with the somber majesty of Pueblo myth, Ceremony is a work of enduring power.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3658 in Books
• Published on: 1986-03-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From AudioFile
A young Native American fights to defeat the demons that have followed him since his return from WWII. They intensify the estrangement he feels over his mixed parentage and his people's alienation. Adam Henderson tackles this novel with the slight singsong rhythm often adopted by traditional storytellers. He vividly personifies this young man, whose pain is almost overwhelming, but who strives to resist succumbing to the oblivion of alcohol, the refuge of many of his contemporaries. Henderson expresses the strength and hope of this young man, as well as his pain, and brings this compelling character to life. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From 500 Great Books by Women; review by Prudence Hockley
Tayo is a half-white Laguna Indian emotionally stricken by white warfare and almost destroyed by his experiences as a World War II prisoner of the Japanese. Unable to find a place among Native American veterans who are losing themselves in rage and drunkenness, Tayo discovers his connection to the land and to ancient rituals with the help of a medicine man, and comes to understand the need to create ceremonies, to grow and change, in order to survive. He finds peace by "finally seeing the pattern, the way all the stories fit together -- the old stories, the war stories, their stories -- to become the story that was still being told." Ceremony is somber in tone, its narrative interspersed with fragments of myth, the writing imbued with the grace and resonance of a ceremonial chant. It powerfully evokes both a natural world alive with story and significance, and the brutal human world of Highway 66 and the streets of Gallup, where Navajos, Zunis, and Hopis in torn jackets stand outside bars "like cold flies stuck to the wall." Ceremony is deeply felt, but avoids glib mysticism; it is informed not by bitterness and racial animosity, but by a larger sense of sorrow and an awareness of "how much can be lost, how much can be forgotten." Tayo's spiritual healing becomes an offering of hope and redemption for tribal cultures. -- For great reviews of books for girls, check out Let's Hear It for the Girls: 375 Great Books for Readers 2-14.

The Washington Post Book World
An exceptional novel—a cause for celebration.

Customer Reviews

Breath-taking
All I can add to the many thoughtful reviews here is this:
I've read very few works of fiction that have provoked a profound paradigm shift. This is one of the ones that did.
I couldn't look up from the pages and the story will stay with me for life.
I feel I owe a debt of gratitude to the author for her glorious writing and for helping me to see out of the eyes of someone from another culture. Not an easy book at times, if you're someone who can be caught up by a good writer's story. But not to be missed.

Ceremonies can heal
Tayo is a half-white Laguna Indian suffering from the after-effects of his experiences in WWII. When he returns home, he is unable to find his place among his old friends or his family. Over time and with the help of a medicine man Tayo discovers his connection to the land and to ancient rituals. I liked the interspersed myths/poems (which are mixed into the narrative), but the landscape descriptions became tedious over time for me.

Surprising read
A serious and special read -- highly recommended for the spirit seeker or the simply interetsed in a tale of soul searching.