Deanne Stillman is a widely published, critically acclaimed writer, often writing about the desert West. Her latest book, Mustang: The Saga of the Wild Horse in the American West (Houghton Mifflin), was named a "best book 2008" by the Los Angeles Times and Las Vegas City Life, and appeared on several other round-up lists as well. It also received rave reviews and coverage in the Atlantic Monthly, Economist, NPR's On Point, Orion, the Seattle Times, Denver Post, Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Kirkus, Publisher's Weekly, Billings Gazette, and elsewhere. The late Tony Hillerman called it "remarkable" and Michael Blake ("Dances with Wolves") calls it "stunning." She is currently writing Mojave Manhunt for Nation Books, based on her Rolling Stone piece of the same name, a finalist for a PEN West journalism award which also appeared in Best American Crime Writing 06. Deanne's previous book, the cult classic Twentynine Palms: A True Story of Murder, Marines, and the Mojave, was a Los Angeles Times "best book 2001" and Hunter Thompson called it “A strange and brilliant story by an important American writer.” It was published in a new, updated edition in 2008 by Angel City Press, and includes a foreword by T. Jefferson Parker and preface by Charles Bowden. Under option once again, it has been added to many college nonfiction courses. In addition, Deanne is the author of Joshua Tree: Desolation Tango (University of Arizona Press, 2006), with photographs by Galen Hunt, a continuation of her desert beat which explores the spiritual and prehistoric side of Joshua Tree National Park. Her Rolling Stone piece, "The Great Mojave Manhunt," was a finalist for a PEN West journalism award and appears in Best American Crime Writing 06. Deanne's work has appeared in Slate, the huffingtonpost, Salon, Tin House, the New York Times; the Los Angeles Times; the Nation; LA Weekly; Boston Globe, and Los Angeles Magazine, (former contributing editor), and has been widely anthologized. She is also a former columnist for The Village Voice (“A Girl’s Guide to Sports”) and Buzz Magazine (“Eldorado”). Her plays have been produced and won awards in major theatre festivals and she has also written for film and television, including an adaptation of Twentynine Palms for Tristar. Ms. Stillman is part of the core faculty at UCR-Palm Desert’s Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts.

 

Recommended Reading Lists

 

Creative Non Fiction:

Since elements of fiction are included in the best nonfiction writing, this list includes some important novels.

 

Shot in the Heart - Mikal Gilmore

The Executioner's Song - Norman Mailer

In Cold Blood - Truman Capote

Down by the River - Charles Bowden

The Duke of Deception - Geoffrey Wolff

Blonde - Joyce Carol Oates

The Beet Queen - Louise Erdrich

Arctic Dreams - Barry Lopez

Great Plains- Ian Frazier

Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek - Annie Dillard

All God's Children - Fox Butterfield

Hell's Angels - Hunter Thompson

Twentynine Palms - Deanne Stillman