“The most valuable lessons learned from Dr. Elliott’s writing come from her cross-cultural experiences while living and working among the Navajo people. It is a true adventure with many valuable lessons learned from another cultural lifestyle.”
— Johnson Dennison, Navajo medicine man practitioner
“Erica gives a perspective on the Navajo people that could not be authentic without her having taken a deep dive into our way of life.
Medicine and Miracles in the High Desert is a recounting of experiences and everyday life in the beginning of tribal self-determination. She delves into the mindset as Navajos reach to the surface of a fresh new start. Erica captures the period with accuracy and detail. Her story is now a permanent part of the historical annals of the Navajo people.”
— Deswood Tome, business consultant and member of the Navajo Nation
“Dr. Erica Elliott’s account of her life among the Navajo people is a story of high adventure that surpasses the wildest fiction. Elliott’s willingness to transcend her cultural conditioning and enter another complex society is an act of great courage--one that reveals her boundless empathy and compassion. This book is sorely needed at this moment in America, when divisive voices incessantly warn us of the other, the foreigner, those who ‘are not like us.’
Medicine and Miracles in the High Desert: My Life among the Navajo People reveals how diversity and inclusiveness can enrich our own society--a lesson on which our future may depend.”
— Larry Dossey, M.D., author of One Mind: How Our Individual Mind Is Part of a Greater Consciousness a
“What a wonderful book! Elliott’s voice mesmerized me. For weeks after I read this, I thought about her time with the Navajos. Such an inspiring, life-affirming, yet tough tale, woven through with a strong drive to realize her life path. Beautifully written. Elliott is an exciting new voice.”
— Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones
“Erica Elliott writes fearlessly, with an original voice that grabbed me from the first page. Her true adventures on the Navajo Nation as a teacher, a shepherd, an emergency room doctor--and best of all, an open-hearted student immersed in a spiritually rich culture--make a great story. She leaves the reader with something to ponder: the abiding importance of reaching out to others with joy and respect. I love this book.”
— Anne Hillerman, New York Times bestselling author of the Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito mystery serie
“This is a powerful and personal book about courage and compassion. Reading it, we are drawn into the web of Dr. Elliott’s extraordinary life of service and learning with the Navajo people of the American Southwest. We are fortunate for the chance to accompany her on her remarkable journey.”
— Rev. Joan Jiko Halifax, Ph.D., abbot of Upaya Zen Center and author of Standing at the Edge
