Laughing Boy by Oliver La Farge

Laughing Boy

Kindle Edition

Oliver La Farge

Start Publishing PD · Ebook · October 16, 2025

Pulitzer Prize Winner!

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Who it’s for
A Navajo silversmith and a boarding-school-educated woman meet amid cultural change in the Southwest.
Genres
Indigenous Fiction, Cultural Heritage Fiction, Western Romance
Published
Start Publishing PD, October 16, 2025

About this book

Pulitzer Prize Winner! A Timeless Tale of Love, Tradition, and Identity Set in the majestic landscape of the American Southwest, Laughing Boy is a powerful, award-winning novel about the clash between traditional Native American values and the pressures of modern assimilation. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, this literary classic explores the beauty and heartbreak of a young Navajo couple navigating the boundaries of love and cultural change.

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Laughing Boy, a skilled silversmith raised in the proud customs of his Navajo heritage, meets Slim Girl, a striking woman educated in a government boarding school and disconnected from her roots. As their romance deepens, so does the tension between two worlds—his tribal traditions and her exposure to white society. Their struggle unfolds in a deeply human story of belonging, betrayal, and spiritual resilience. Richly woven with Indigenous themes, Southwest desert imagery, and emotional insight, Laughing Boy offers readers a poignant glimpse into Native American life at a time of great upheaval. Perfect for fans of historical fiction, romantic cultural dramas, and Pulitzer Prize-winning literature, this unforgettable novel remains a cornerstone of American classics.

Navajo Traditions

A Navajo silversmith and a boarding-school-educated woman meet amid cultural change in the Southwest.

Come here for

  • A Navajo silversmith raised in tribal customs
  • A woman educated at a government boarding school

Expect

  • Tensions between tribal traditions and exposure to white society
  • Love shaped by cultural change

Where it sits

Indigenous Fiction81%
Western Romance29%
Cultural Heritage Fiction27%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Historical Fantasy
  • Historical Fiction
  • Indigenous Fiction
Authors
Oliver La Farge
Publisher
Start Publishing PD
Published
October 16, 2025
Format
Ebook
Reading lane
Historical Fantasy