Anne Hillerman is the bestselling author of the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series. The Sacred Bridge is her seventh novel in the series that was created by Tony Hillerman, her father. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where she is at work on her next novel.
With all this in mind, Placitas Reads has planned three exciting programs for September and October. First, on September 17 at 2pm in the Gracie Lee Room, PCL will offer a ‘traditional book discussion.’ This discussion will be coordinated by book group aficionados. Since there will be many of us, we will break into smaller groups and share our thoughts around a couple of interesting questions provoked by The Sacred Bridge.
On October 15 at 2 PM, in honor of Indigenous People’s Day, PCL is excited to welcome Elder Kathy Wan Povi Sanchez. Elder Sanchez is a member of the San Ildefonso Pueblo and a founding Mother of Tewa Women United. “Tewa Women United (TWU) started in 1989 as a support group for women from the Pueblos of the northern Rio Grande concerned with the traumatic effects of colonization, religious inquisition, and militarization.” Click here for the flier for this event.
Kathy Sanchez says, “Throughout New Mexico, there are many areas under the “so-called” ownership of federal, state, and private entities that are sacred to Indigenous communities. These sacred sites provide the physical foundation for Indigenous culture, identity, creation stories, and a connection from each generation to their ancestors. Today, most, if not all, sacred sites face a myriad of threats, such as resource extraction, irresponsible recreation, and infrastructure development. The need to protect sacred sites is vital to maintaining and passing from generation to generation the distinct identities, traditions, and histories of Indigenous peoples.”
The Rainbow Bridge near Lake Powell in Utah is one such sacred site. It has been under threat since 1956 when construction began on Glen Canyon Dam and the flooding of the canyon. The creation of Lake Powell radically changed the entire area and submerged many sites sacred to native people. Now, the worsening drought and other factors have created new risks to this important area. This is the setting for Anne Hillerman’s most recent mystery, The Sacred Bridge.
Placitas Reads 2022 will culminate on Saturday, October 22 at 2pm with a talk by Anne Hillerman on The Sacred Bridge Anne is a special friend of PCL and has even included the library in one of her novels, which continue the Navajo detective stories her father Tony Hillerman made popular. She will discuss the importance of research in writing fiction, including this latest gripping narrative featuring Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito.
For a copy of the general flier, click here. For a copy of the Hillerman flier only, click here.
