Don Coldsmith
 | This Coldsmith, Don needs additional citations for verification. (June 2009) |
Don Coldsmith | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 28, 1926 Iola, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | June 25, 2009 (aged 83)[1] Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Baker University |
| Genre | Westerns |
| Notable works | Spanish Bit Saga |
| Spouse | Edna Coldsmith |
| Website | |
| doncoldsmith | |
Don Coldsmith (February 28, 1926 – June 25, 2009) was an American author of primarily Western fiction. A past president of Western Writers of America, Coldsmith wrote more than 40 books, as well as hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. His "Spanish Bit Saga", a series of related novels, helped to re-define the Western novel by adopting the point of view of the Native Americans, rather than the European immigrants.
Biography
In addition to his career as a writer, Coldsmith was a
Son of a
After the war, Coldsmith matriculated at
Coldsmith, who had periodically taught English classes at
Coldsmith suffered a
Style
Coldsmith employs a distinctly lucid and deceptively simple style in his fictional narratives. His prose does not attract attention to itself, with the result that the focus is almost entirely on the story. His characters, who may at first seem uncomplicated, gradually emerge as well-rounded human beings with a complex of often conflicting motives and emotions. Coldsmith's Native American protagonists are genuine, and often likable, human beings. At the same time, Coldsmith's villains, who are usually Indians themselves, are portrayed as being misled, or suffering from delusion, more than being evil in some sinister or fundamental way.
Though generally well balanced in his portrayal of Native American societies and immigrant societies, Coldsmith's narratives often offer gentle—and sometimes not so gentle—criticism of
Coldsmith uses English to achieve the illusion of a native point of view with consistent use of such expressions as "I am made to think. . ." and "Elk-Dog" (for horse) and "Cold Maker" (for winter) .
The Spanish Bit Saga
The Spanish Bit Saga, arguably Coldsmith's best known work, chronicles the unique moment in history when the horse was introduced to the Plains Indians by Spanish explorers, one of whom is separated from his party and adopted by a fictional Plains tribe. The adventures and experiences of the explorers’ Spanish-Indian descendants make up the bulk of the Spanish Bit series.[citation needed]
Coldsmith's fictional tribe in the Spanish Bit series appears to be a synthesis of cultural traditions of the
are often depicted as the enemy.Bibliography
Spanish Bit Series
• Trail of the Spanish Bit
• The Elk Dog Heritage
• Follow the Wind
• Buffalo Medicine
• Man of the Shadows
• Daughter of the Eagle
• Moon of Thunder
• The Sacred Hills
• Pale Star
• River of Swans
• Return to the River
• The Medicine Knife
• The Flower in the Mountain
• Trail from Taos
• Song of the Rock
• Fort de Chastaigne
• Quest for the White Bull
• Return of the Spanish
• Bride of the Morning Star
• Walks in the Sun
• Thunder Stick
• Track of the Bear
• Child of the Dead
• Bearer of the Pipe
• Medicine Hat
• The Lost Band
• Raven Mocker
• The Pipestone Quest
• The Moon of Madness(Released November 19, 2013)[3]
Spanish Bit Spinoffs
• The Changing Wind
• The Traveler
• World of Silence
Rivers West Series
• The Smoky Hill: Rivers West, Book 2 The other books in the series were written by other authors.
Historical Novels
• Southwind
• Tallgrass
• Runestone
• The Long Journey Home
Non-fiction
• Horsin’ Around
• Horsin’ Around Again
• Still Horsin’ Around
References
- ^ "Town Crier Bookstore :: Emporia, KS". Archived from the original on 2009-05-12. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ Western author Don Coldsmith dead at 83 KansasCity.com. Retrieved on June 26, 2009.
- ^ "Final Coldsmith book published". 5 November 2013.
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