Shoshoneans

Shoshoneans was published in 1966 as a collaborative ethnographic and poetic study of the Shoshone people of the Great Basin. The project emerged from a desire to document the rapidly changing reality of indigenous communities in the mid-twentieth century, pairing Edward Dorn's observational, often gritty prose with the stark, evocative photography of Leroy Lucas. The work was commissioned during a period of burgeoning interest in regional American studies and remains a significant artifact of 1960s literary reportage.

The book's design reflects the era's focus on immersive, journalistic photography paired with unconventional literary perspectives. By eschewing a purely academic tone in favor of Dorn's signature poetic sensibilities, the publication was intended to challenge standard anthropological narratives of the time. Upon its release, it was noted for its uncompromising portrayal of the socio-economic conditions faced by the Shoshone, establishing a unique space between travelogue and cultural critique that continues to interest scholars of Western American literature.