Book Description
Linda Hogan, a Chickasaw poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, and activist, is widely considered to be one of the most influential and provocative Native American figures on the contemporary literary landscape. Although her work has been the focus of numerous essays and conference presentations, until now there has not been a collection of critical essays based solely on her work. This collection’s ten unpublished essays and one interview with Hogan reflect the most current and productive critical commentary on Linda Hogan’s texts. Hogan writes about community and the traditional indigenous relationships to the land and its plants and animals. The critical essays in From the Center of Tradition place Hogan’s work at the heart of current discussions in American literature. Rather than focus on a single facet of her writing, eight scholars of Native American literature discuss the range of her work from several perspectives, including ecocritical, post-colonial, and feminist studies; American Indian studies; and narrative theory. From the Center of Tradition suggests productive avenues of continued study for not only Hogan’s body of work but also work by other Native American authors. From the Center of Tradition presents new perspectives and a deeper understanding of Hogan’s writing for scholars and students in American fiction, Native American literature, women’s studies, environmental literature, as well as for readers of her novels, nonfiction, and poetry.

About the Author
Barbara J. Cook is Visiting Assistant Professor of English and Theatre at Eastern Kentury University.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Linda Hogan, a Chickasaw poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, and activist, is widely considered to be one of the most influential and provocative Native American figures on the contemporary literary landscape. Although her work has been the focus of numerous essays and conference presentations, until now there has not been a collection of critical essays based solely on her work. This collection's ten unpublished essays and one interview with Hogan reflect the most current and productive critical commentary on Linda Hogan's texts.

Hogan writes about community and the traditional indigenous relationships to the land and its plants and animals. The critical essays in From the Center of Tradition place Hogan's work at the heart of current discussions in American literature. Rather than focus on a single facet of her writing, eight scholars of Native American literature discuss the range of her work from several perspectives, including ecocritical, post-colonial, and feminist studies; American Indian studies; and narrative theory. From the Center of Tradition suggests productive avenues of continued study for not only Hogan's body of work but also work by other Native American authors.

From the Center of Tradition presents new perspectives and a deeper understanding of Hogan's writing for scholars and students in American fiction, Native American literature, women's studies, environmental literature, as well as for readers of her novels, nonfiction, and poetry.

Contributors include Barbara J. Cook, Katherine R. Chandler, Ann Fisher-Wirth, Benay Blend, Jennifer Love, Ernest Stromberg, Ernest Smith, Machael Hardin, and Carrie Bowen-Mercer.

Barbara J. Cook is an instructor of English and Native American literature at the University of Oregon.

SYNOPSIS

Linda Hogan, a Chickasaw poet, novelist, essayist, playwright,and activist, is widely considered to be one of the most influential and provocative Native American figures on the contemporary literary landscape. Although her work has been the focus of numerous essays and conference presentations, until now there has not been a collection of critical essays based solely on her work. This collection's ten unpublished essays and one interview with Hogan reflect the most current and productive critical commentary on Linda Hogan's texts.

Hogan writes about community and the traditional indigenous relationships to the land and its plants and animals. The critical essays in From the Center of Tradition place Hogan's work at the heart of current discussions in American literature. Rather than focus on a single facet of her writing, eight scholars of Native American literature discuss the range of her work from several perspectives, including ecocritical, post-colonial, and feminist studies; American Indian studies; and narrative theory. From the Center of Tradition suggests productive avenues of continued study for not only Hogan's body of work but also work by other Native American authors.

From the Center of Tradition presents new perspectives and a deeper understanding of Hogan's writing for scholars and students in American fiction, Native American literature, women's studies, environmental literature, as well as for readers of her novels, nonfiction, and poetry.

Contributors include Barbara J. Cook, Katherine R. Chandler, Ann Fisher-Wirth, Benay Blend, Jennifer Love, Ernest Stromberg, Ernest Smith, Machael Hardin, and Carrie Bowen-Mercer.