Linda Hogan, a prominent Chickasaw poet and novelist, stands as a key figure in the American Indian literary revival. Hogan's upbringing, marked by both her working-class roots and diverse geographical experiences, profoundly influenced her literary voice. Her journey from a childhood steeped in traditional storytelling to becoming a celebrated author reflects her rich personal and cultural history.

Early Life and Cultural Influences

Born into a working-class family, Hogan's formative years were spent between the bustling city of Denver and the rural expanses of Oklahoma, where her family had deep ties. Her father's dynamic storytelling, a central element of her upbringing, later became a fountain of inspiration for her poetic and narrative creations. This rich oral heritage, combined with the painful history of American Indian displacement and loss of land, shaped the themes that resonated in her work and political views.

Educational Journey and Early Career

By the age of fifteen, Hogan entered the workforce, engaging in a variety of jobs ranging from dental assistant to cocktail waitress over the next decade. In 1973, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. In her late twenties, Hogan’s life took a new direction when she moved to the Washington, D.C., area, working with physically challenged students as a teacher’s aide, and it was during this period that she began to explore writing. The discovery of poets Kenneth Rexroth and James Wright ignited her passion for poetry, leading her to pursue a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Colorado, which she completed in 1978.

Emerging as a Poet and Writer

Hogan's first poetry collection, Calling Myself Home, emerged in 1978, drawing from her Oklahoma experiences and exploring the tensions between her dual heritage. Although it initially garnered limited critical attention, it established her as a poet of noteworthy talent. Around this time, she settled in the serene mountain village of Idledale, Colorado, with her two adopted daughters, Sandra Dawn Protector and Tanya Thunder Horse, both from the Oglala Lakota tribe.

Teaching and Literary Contributions

Between 1978 and 1984, Hogan dedicated herself to teaching creative writing across various institutions in the Denver area, including Colorado Colleges Institute in Colorado Springs. Her literary output during this period included two more poetry collections, Daughters, I Love You and Eclipse, as well as a play titled A Piece of Moon, which Oklahoma State University at Stillwater produced. These works broadened her audience and dealt with significant themes such as atomic warfare’s devastation and the plight of American Indian culture. The play A Piece of Moon, focusing on the Wounded Knee occupation, and her poetry volume Eclipse further explored her interest in mystical and ecological topics.

Recognition and Academic Career

The critical acclaim for Hogan's work grew, with A Piece of Moon winning the Five Civilized Tribes Museum Playwriting Award and Eclipse receiving honorable mention in the Western States Book Awards. From 1984 to 1988, she taught American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, where she found inspiration for her later novel, Solar Storms. During this period, Hogan also began her involvement in raptor restoration and published her first short-story collection, That Horse, which reimagined her father’s tales and childhood memories. Her poetry collections Seeing Through the Sun and Savings further examined themes of family, alienation, and the symbiosis of spirituality and politics.

Accolades and Major Works

Hogan's literary prowess was recognized with numerous awards, including a National Endowment for the Arts award and a Pushcart Prize. Her poetry collection Seeing Through the Sun earned an American Book Award from the...