Laughing Boy is the name of a young Navajo man living in the American Southwest during the era when the Americans are pushing westward in earnest. He's looking to find his way in the world and earn the respect of his tribe. At a tribal event, Laughing Boy encounters a beautiful, mysterious young woman known as Slim Girl, and the two are soon attracted to each other. Complications arise immediately from her past experiences in the Indian Schools, boarding schools run under the auspices of the federal government for education and assimilation of Native Americans. The two quickly fall in love, but Laughing Boy's family warns against the union. These complications affect the relationship and his family's view of it in ways that slowly unfold and intertwine as the novel progresses. It offers a rare glimpse into the Navajo lifestyle and territory.

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