John Rollin Ridge

The Life and Adventures of Joaqun Murieta, the Celebrated California Bandit, is a unique book in many ways. In 1854, it was the first novel published in California, and it is also the first novel written by a Native American. Yellow Bird was the son and grandson of famous Cherokee chiefs, and he lived a vigorous and dangerous life as an Indian. But he was also a well-educated and literate man, known in the white man's world as John Rollin Ridge. Both a novelist and poet, Yellow Bird made his liv... more info>>