Hillerman's Skeleton Man

At one level, Tony Hillerman is a storyteller.  That is the primary draw for me.  That is the driving factor that brings me to his books, again and again.  

Books are like friends; it takes time to get to know how deeply they enrich our lives.  So what do I get out of Tony's books that make them worth reading twice?  

OR, why I liked Skeleton Man:

• I am a lover of words (vocabulary).
• I like someone who can paint a picture with words.  That means that I can get a sense of what the Southwest looks like without actually going there.
• I like books that appeal to others; that way I can discuss the book with friends and ready online commentaries.  This book was a New York Times Bestseller.

Skeleton Man Revisited

• Character # 1:  Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is now retired. Though retired, he is still accustomed to having coffee with his former cohorts on occasion.  In this instance, he is explaining his traditional Navajo approach to life and to investigation.  
• His companions are not impressed, but as dedicated readers, we must absorb the information and see if his character truly plays out his own beliefs.
• An attempt to understand these little educational asides will enhance your enjoyment of the story and bring you to an enlightened state that is critical to understanding the environment and challenges of the Navajo community and especially this "good guy" who is dedicated to the cause of justice.  What motivations guide him and/or drive him in his life.
• Although Joe's companions, his old cronies, are not impressed, we will take Joe at his word, at least initially, that "the cause leads to the inevitable effect".  An example  comes to mind:  someone throwing a rock in a lake--the ripple effect.  Is this Navajo belief as simple as that?  Read on and make your own judgment.
• What is the "Salt Woman Shrine" mentioned in the first paragraph of the story?   What "complicated happening" took place (and when)?  Which novel of Hillerman's can give us insight?  In real life, we all evolve and grow; is this "turning point" in Lt. Leaphorn's  ethical evoution similar to something that we've experienced?  What shrines might be central to our beliefs?  (See also at Google Books, Cultural Encounters in the New World); read also the comments at this link about the complicated happening: https://www.librarything.com/work/62341
• "In 1956 there was a collision of commercial airplanes over the Grand Canyon. All died and the canyon was littered with parts of the planes, bodies, suitcases, and other debris. Using that information, Tony Hillerman created a mystery regarding one of the passengers who was carrying $1 million in diamonds strapped to his wrist."
• I watch a lot of detective/cop movies and there is great emphasis in preserving the chain of evidence.  Does Leaphorn follow the chain of evidence and if so, how does he "notate" that?  
•  Is Hillerman's inclusion of traditional Navajo beliefs in his stories an essential ingredient to understanding Lt. Joe Leaphorn and other characters?

So, would I say that Joe is a social person?  Would you say that (if you've read the book)? 

Since I read the book once before, what did I get out of it, this time? To be continued in my next blog post!