Linda Sillitoe
Encyclopedia
Linda Buhler Sillitoe was an American journalist, poet and historian. She is best known for her journalistic coverage about Mark Hofmann
and the "Mormon forgery murders." Her subsequent book Salamander, coauthored with Allen Roberts, examined Hofmann's creation of an industry for forged documents, the 1985 bombing murders of two people, and the police investigation, arrest and conviction. The murder investigation eventually revealed Hofmann's documents, initially seen as undermining the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were forgeries. Sillitoe’s published works also included fiction and poetry.
and graduated from the University of Utah
. She married John Sillito (spelling difference intentional), in 1968 and they had three children.
Sillitoe was a staff writer for the Deseret News and news feature editor for Utah Holiday magazine. She produced articles which also appeared in The New York Times
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
, Utah Business, Sunstone
, City Weekly and The Salt Lake City Observer. Much of her work focused on multicultural issues. In 1986, she won an award from the Utah Navajo Development Council "for her interest and sensitivity in reporting problems facing the Utah Navajo People." She won awards from the Utah chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
and the Associated Press
. Sillitoe received three nominations for a Pulitzer Prize
for her stories about life in Salt Lake County.
Sillitoe co-produced a PBS-affiliated documentary, "Native and American" and taught classes in journalism and writing at the University of Utah, Salt Lake Community College
and Weber State University
. She most recently worked as public outreach coordinator of Weber State University’s Stewart Library.
After a long battle with chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), Sillitoe died on April 7, 2010, at the age of 61, of an aortic dissection.
Sillitoe published a collection of poetry "Crazy for Living," a short story collection "Windows on the Sea", and two novels "Sideways to the Sun" and "Secrets Keep." Her last novel, as well as a poetry collection, awaits publication with Signature Books. Another novel and three nonfiction books may eventually be published. Her creative works received awards from the Association for Mormon Letters.
Mark Hofmann
Mark William Hofmann is an American counterfeiter, forger and convicted murderer. Widely regarded as one of the most accomplished forgers in history, Hofmann is especially noted for his creation of documents related to the history of the Latter Day Saint movement...
and the "Mormon forgery murders." Her subsequent book Salamander, coauthored with Allen Roberts, examined Hofmann's creation of an industry for forged documents, the 1985 bombing murders of two people, and the police investigation, arrest and conviction. The murder investigation eventually revealed Hofmann's documents, initially seen as undermining the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were forgeries. Sillitoe’s published works also included fiction and poetry.
Biography
Sillitoe was one of eight children born to Robert E. and Phyllis Liddle Buhler. She was reared in Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
and graduated from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. She married John Sillito (spelling difference intentional), in 1968 and they had three children.
Sillitoe was a staff writer for the Deseret News and news feature editor for Utah Holiday magazine. She produced articles which also appeared in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought
Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought is an independent quarterly journal of "Mormon thought" that addresses a wide range of issues on Mormonism and the Latter Day Saint Movement....
, Utah Business, Sunstone
Sunstone Magazine
Sunstone is a magazine published by the Sunstone Education Foundation, Inc., a 501 nonprofit corporation, that discusses Mormonism through scholarship, art, short fiction, and poetry. The foundation began the publication in 1974 and considers it a vehicle for free and frank exchange in The Church...
, City Weekly and The Salt Lake City Observer. Much of her work focused on multicultural issues. In 1986, she won an award from the Utah Navajo Development Council "for her interest and sensitivity in reporting problems facing the Utah Navajo People." She won awards from the Utah chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
and the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. Sillitoe received three nominations for a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for her stories about life in Salt Lake County.
Sillitoe co-produced a PBS-affiliated documentary, "Native and American" and taught classes in journalism and writing at the University of Utah, Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College is the largest higher education institution with the most diverse student body in Utah . The College offers and operates throughout the Salt Lake valley. Even with its large student body, the College maintains a student to faculty ratio of just 20 to 1...
and Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
. She most recently worked as public outreach coordinator of Weber State University’s Stewart Library.
After a long battle with chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS), Sillitoe died on April 7, 2010, at the age of 61, of an aortic dissection.
Writings
Sillitoe wrote three important books on aspects of Utah history: "Banking on the Hemingways: Three Generations of Banking in Utah and Idaho"; "Salamander: The Story of the Mormon Forgery Murders" (co-authored with Allen Roberts); and "Friendly Fire: The ACLU in Utah." In 1996 she wrote the official centennial history of Salt Lake County, published in a popular format as "Welcoming the World: A History of Salt Lake County."Sillitoe published a collection of poetry "Crazy for Living," a short story collection "Windows on the Sea", and two novels "Sideways to the Sun" and "Secrets Keep." Her last novel, as well as a poetry collection, awaits publication with Signature Books. Another novel and three nonfiction books may eventually be published. Her creative works received awards from the Association for Mormon Letters.
Selected works
- Sideways to the Sun, 1987;
- Salamander: Story of Mormon Forgery Murders, editions published in 1988, 1989, 2006;
- Windows on the Sea and Other Stories, 1989;
- Banking on the Hemingways: Three Generations of Banking in Utah and Idaho, 1992;
- Crazy for Living: Poems, 1993;
- Secrets Keep, 1996;
- Friendly Fire: The ACLU in Utah, 1996;
- Welcoming the World: A History of Salt Lake County, 1996.
External links
- Linda Sillitoe - Obituary, Salt Lake Tribune
- Hofmann Forgery Murders - Editorial, Salt Lake Tribune.
- Sillitoe poetry
- Register of the Linda Sillitoe Papers at the University of UtahUniversity of UtahThe University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
's Marriott Library