American Indian stories have fascinated the world for all the right reasons: vigor, depth, subtlety, brightness. In the 1960s a brilliant renaissance began. Out of it came such gifted writers of fiction as N. Scott Momaday, James Welch, Leslie Marmon Silko, Gerald Vizenor, Simon Ortiz, Louise Erdrich, and Michael Dorris. In bringing them together, The Lightning Within celebrates some of the best work being done today in the novel and short story. Alan R. Velie, a professor of English at the University of Oklahoma, has written a general introduction and headnotes to each selection. He is the author of Four American Indian Literary Masters and other books.