I accept N. Scott Momaday donations anywhere in the Albuquerque metro with free pickup — the whole collection: House Made of Dawn, The Way to Rainy Mountain, The Names, The Ancient Child, In the Presence of the Sun, In the Bear's House, Earth Keeper, and the poetry. You don't sort or price anything. Bring it all, including the early hardcovers you might not recognize; the 1968 first of House Made of Dawn is collectible, so I check everything and the rest funds New Mexico literacy.
Published June 2026 · By Josh Eldred, New Mexico Literacy Project
N. Scott Momaday, a Kiowa writer with deep Southwestern roots, won the 1969 Pulitzer Prize for House Made of Dawn — the novel widely credited with opening the door for the whole Native American literary renaissance that followed (Silko, Welch, Erdrich and more). His books are read and loved across New Mexico, and when a collection gets cleared, most people just want it to go somewhere that honors it. That's exactly what I'm for: I take the whole thing, free, and I check every book.
What I take: all of it
The Pulitzer novel & fiction
House Made of Dawn (1968) and the novel The Ancient Child — in any edition, hardcover or paperback.
Memoir, myth & essays
The Way to Rainy Mountain (first published by the University of New Mexico Press), the memoir The Names, The Man Made of Words, and the recent Earth Keeper: Reflections on the American Land.
Poetry, illustrated work & any condition
The Gourd Dancer, In the Presence of the Sun, In the Bear's House, the illustrated and limited editions (Momaday was also a painter), reading copies, and signed copies — bring whatever's on the shelf.
You don't have to know what's valuable
Here's the reason to call rather than dump: the 1968 first edition of House Made of Dawn (Harper & Row), in fine condition with its dust jacket, is collectible, and signed copies bring more — it's a cornerstone of any Native American literature collection. The early printings of The Way to Rainy Mountain and the limited/illustrated editions are sought-after too. To most people these look like any old hardcover, and they get given away for a dollar. You don't have to learn the points — bring the whole shelf and I'll recognize the early firsts, protect them, and keep the reading copies in circulation, with any hidden value identified and put to work.
Why donate instead of selling it yourself
For a confirmed 1968 first or a signed limited, selling on your own can pay. For the rest — paperbacks, later printings — listing each book is more work than it's worth, which is why shelves get dumped intact. Donating handles it in one call: no research, no pricing, no listings, no shipping, free pickup at your door, reading copies to new readers, and a genuine first recognized and supporting New Mexico literacy. Here's where donated books go.
How free pickup works
Call or text 702-496-4214 (or schedule online), tell me roughly how much there is and where you are, and we set a time. I come to you and load it all. I cover Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Corrales, the East Mountains, and the surrounding metro, and I handle whole-house and estate cleanouts regularly.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I donate N. Scott Momaday books in Albuquerque?
Right here — free pickup anywhere in the metro for the whole collection: House Made of Dawn, The Way to Rainy Mountain, the memoirs and poetry. Call or text 702-496-4214.
Is an old House Made of Dawn worth anything?
The 1968 Harper & Row first (Pulitzer winner) is collectible, jacketed/signed more; later paperbacks common. They look ordinary — bring it all and let me check.
Rainy Mountain and paperbacks too?
Yes — the UNM Press Rainy Mountain, illustrated editions, worn paperbacks, reading copies. Just don't throw any of it out first.
Cite This Guide
Eldred, J. (June 2026). Donate N. Scott Momaday Books in Albuquerque — Free Pickup. New Mexico Literacy Project.
https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/donate-n-scott-momaday-books-albuquerque
Licensed under CC BY 4.0.