"Laughing Boy: A Navajo Love Story" is a novel by Oliver La Farge, first published in 1929. It is a romantic and tragic love story set in the Navajo Nation of the American Southwest during the early 20th century.
The main character is Laughing Boy, a young Navajo man who is torn between the traditional ways of his people and the encroaching influence of the white man's culture. Laughing Boy falls in love with Slim Girl, a beautiful and independent Navajo woman who challenges his beliefs and values.
As Laughing Boy and Slim Girl's relationship develops, they face numerous challenges and obstacles, including cultural misunderstandings, prejudice, and the disapproval of their families and communities. Despite these challenges, they remain deeply in love and are determined to be together.
La Farge's vivid descriptions of Navajo life and culture, as well as the breathtaking landscapes of the American Southwest, create a rich and immersive world that transports the reader to a different time and place. The themes of identity, cultural conflict, and the struggle to preserve traditions in the face of modernization and change remain relevant today.
"Laughing Boy" is a classic of American literature and won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1930. It is a must-read for anyone interested in Native American culture, love stories, and the complexities of cultural identity.
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