338 pgs.  Historical novel.  The story is true but I inserted dialogue which I knew to be true at the time.  Chethlahe (Chet-la-hey) was a Navajo artist born on the Navajo Reservation in 1926 at Canyon de Chelly (Shay).  My grandfather was the trader at Canyon de Chelly and depicted in the story. Dad's recollection, David's widow, Linda, and my knowledge of the Navajo reservation enabled this story.  What piqued my interest was listening to a book tape by Carolyn Myss, a well-known medical intuitive.  She recounted her friendship with David in a story told in 1958.  She was at her parent's home in Chicago for Christmas.  Her phone rang and it was David.  After a brief conversation, David asked Carolyn if she would assist in preparing his biography.  Three days later she received a call telling her that David had died - two days before her conversation with him!  David's conception was cause for turmoil in his life.  He was expelled from Santa Fe Indian School at the age of 13.  The following year, with a Navajo friend, he boarded a freight train in Gallup, NM and rode to San Francisco where he signed on as a merchant seaman (age 14).  A seagoing friend would later save his life in Germany.  His jungle sketches in the South Pacific led to him being inducted into the Army.  By the age of 16, he was a saboteur in Belgium at the beginning of WWII.  Captured, tortured, and imprisoned at Dachau Concentration Camp he barely survived the War.  He returned from Dachau weighing 62 pounds.  His medicine-man uncle rejuvenated his health and spirit and he went on the lead an incredible life.  In 1958, Newsweek proclaimed him the most prominent Native American artist of our time.  Each chapter of the book is noted with a picture of David's art.  Some are shown above.  On the book cover is a Navajo sandpainting.  It depicts how Coyote went into the world of darkness on behalf of man and woman, found Fire God, stole fire, and returned to light the world.  During his journey he was badly burned and finally returned with only enough fire to light half the world; hence, day and night.  Importantly, Coyote persevered despite his injuries.  Such was David's life and the inspiration for this book title.  Finalist New Mexico/Arizona Book Awards.

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