Few writers portray Native American history and life as authentically and insightfully as Conley, an important voice of the Cherokee past. This first novel of his "Real People" series centers on a group of tribal priests confronting a terrible drought, and tribal rivalries over a young woman.

Sanora Babb's long-hidden novel Whose Names Are Unknown tells an intimate story of the High Plains farmers who fled drought dust storms during the Great Depression. Written with empathy for the farmers' plight, this powerful narrative is based on the author's firsthand experience.