The Fallen Man (Original manuscript, with author's hand corrections)

New York: HarperCollins, 1996. Tony Hillerman's original typescript for his novel "The Fallen Man," with his original manuscript corrections in ink. Housed in a plain orange publisher's box, with a memo from Hillerman, on his stationery, affixed to the lid.

The history of the manuscript is explained in three documents that accompany the typescript: (1) a letter from the editorial staff at HarperCollins, on the publisher's stationery, stating that this the most recent copy-edited typescript, (2) an autograph note on publisher's memo stationery from Hillerman's editor Eamon Dolan, asking Hillerman to provide final changes, and thanking him for providing jacket copy, which he says is superior to his, and will appear "virtually unchanged on the book's flaps," and (3) an autograph note on Hillerman's personal stationery to a bookseller friend, stating that it is his copy of the final corrected typescript (which was ultimately returned to him by the publisher, after the changes were made for the book). Finally, the box has a plain white label affixed on the front panel, on which the author has written in manuscript ink: "Fallen Man" (corrected from 'Fallen Men') - copy edited and revised ms.," followed by the author's Albuquerque address from that time.

Hillerman is well-known for making constant revisions to his novels, and in many instances the endings to his books are found to be changed completely between the issue of the proof and the hardcover edition, and even between the hardcover edition and the paperback edition. A unique item, and evidence of a completed work from one of the key mystery writers of his generation, one unique in his perspective regarding American Indian culture and the American Southwest.