[In the excerpt below, King discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Studies in American Indian Literature.]

As a secondary source book, Studies in American Indian Literature has much to recommend it. Many of the articles such as Patricia Clark Smith's "Coyote Ortiz," LaVonne Ruoff's "American Indian Literatures," and James Ruppert's "Discovering America" are first rate. While the level of the other articles tends to vary, the majority are competent.

The most obvious problem is that several of the articles are out of date and should have been revised prior to publication. Paula Gunn Allen's "The Sacred Hoop," which discusses oral literature, is one such example. Originally written in 1975, the article has received no additional attention even though the discussion of Indian oral literature has produced new ideas and directions. A second problem lies in the suggested reading lists. For whatever reason, the lists are highly selective. Normally this would not be a particular concern, but the additions and the omissions tend to suggest that the lists were developed along the lines of personal taste rather than as a result of a scholarly stance.

Nonetheless, Studies in American Indian Literature is a book that should be recommended and read. At the same time, the Modern Language Association should seriously consider publishing a second edition, updating several of the articles that need revision, adding a number of newer articles, and correcting the deficiencies in the reading lists.