Native American Authors

James Welch, 1940-2003

Blackfeet

James Welch was born in Browning, Montana, and attended school on the Blackfeet and Ft. Belknap reservations. Welch attended the University of Montana and Northern Montana State University at Havre before earning his B.A. from the University of Montana. He taught at the University of Washington and at Cornell as well as serving on the Parole Board of the Montana Prisons Systems and on the Board of Directors of the Newberry Library D’Arcy McNickle Center. It was at the University of Montana that he found his niche for writing.

Awards and Honors

American Book Award, 1986Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature, Native Writer’s Circle, 1997

Online resources by or about James Welch:

Arizona Book Festival: Guest Author James Welch
Author: Arizona Central and Arizona Humanities Council.
Type: authorbio
Description: A brief biography of Welch, including a picture.

URL: http://www.azcentral.com/advert/books/welch.html

George W. Aguilar, Sr.
Author: Portland State University
Type: authorbio
Description: Includes biographical information as well as a short list of recommended further reading.

URL: http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/aguilar_george_w_sr_1930_/

James Welch
Author: Michael Moore
Type: authorbio
Description: This brief biography of Welch was prepared by Michael Moore for Welch’s listing as one of “The 100 Most Influential Montanans of the Century” in the Missoulian.

URL:

James Welch: Novelist, poet and Colorado College visiting faculty member
Author: Owen Perkins
Type: authorbio
Description: This interview with Welch comes from the 9/30/99 issue of the Colorado Springs Independent newspaper.

URL:

Lopez Books – Native American Literature: James Welch’s intro
Author: James Welch
Type: etext
Description: In this introduction to a Native American literature catalog, Welch discusses his own writing and the current status of Native American literature.

URL: http://www.lopezbooks.com/na3/na3-01.html

Books by James Welch:

Welch, James. The Death of Jim Loney
New York : Harper & Row, 1979.

Welch, James. Fools Crow
New York : Penguin Books, 1986.
Genre: Fiction

Welch, James. Heartsong of Charging Elk
New York : Doubleday, 2000.
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 0385496745

Welch, James. The Indian Lawyer
New York : W. W. Norton, 1990.
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult

Welch, James. James Welch
Lewiston, ID : Confluence Press, 1986.
Genre: Nonfiction
Audience: Adult

Welch, James. Killing Custer : the battle of Little Bighorn and the fate of the Plain Indians
New York : W.W. Norton, 1994.
Genre: Nonfiction
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 039303657X

Welch, James. Riding the Earthboy 40
New York : Harper & Row, 1976.
Genre: Poetry
Audience: Adult

Welch, James. Winter in the Blood
New York : Penguin Books, 1974.
Genre: Fiction
Audience: Adult
ISBN: 0140086447