Joseph Fitzgerald has authored or edited several books
on diverse world religions and philosophy that have won more than ten awards, including
the prestigious Benjamin Franklin Award. The subjects include Buddhism, Hinduism,
the American Indians, Christianity, the ecological crisis and the Perennial Philosophy.
Fitzgerald holds an Honor’s Degree in Religious Studies from Indiana University,
with Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude distinctions, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence
from Indiana University with Magna Cum Laude distinction.
Fitzgerald’s love of the American Indians was nurtured from his earliest memories, as he attended sacred rites of the Plains Indians for the first time before he could
walk. At four years of age he was adopted into the Crow tribe and the family of
Thomas Yellowtail, one of the most honored American Indian spiritual leaders of
the past century. Yellowtail was to provide Fitzgerald and his parents with introductions
to many spiritual leaders of other American Indian tribes; thus Fitzgerald has spent
extended periods of time over more than thirty years visiting traditional cultures
and attending sacred ceremonies throughout the American West, including the sacred
rites of the Crow, Sioux, Cheyenne, Shoshone, Bannock, and Apache Tribes. These
experiences led to the publication of his fully illustrated and revised edition
of George Bird Grinnell’s classic work The Cheyenne Indians.
All royalties for Fitzgerald’s books on American Indians are donated to various
American Indian charities, including the support of Crow, Shoshone and Lakota Sun
Dances and to provide books and films to tribal colleges and high schools located
on Indian reservations throughout the US and Canada.
Fitzgerald was home schooled until he entered Indiana University at age fourteen.
This allowed him the opportunity for more than twenty years to travel extensively
throughout the Oriental world, including visits to India, Bhutan, Mongolia, Cambodia,
Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Nepal, and Japan, and the Islamic World, including visits
to Morocco, Niger, Iran, Jordan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Syria and Xinxiang,
China. These experiences led to the publication of The Essential Sri Anandamayi Ma and three books on Buddhism.
Joseph Fitzgerald lives in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife and daughters.
Joseph co-edited the following book offered on this website:
- Spirit of the Indian Warrior (edited by Michael O. Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald):
- Silver Medal in the 2020 Midwest Book Awards in the category “Interior Design”
- Silver Medal in the 2020 Midwest Book Awards in the category “History/General”
- Finalist in the 2020 Best Book Awards in the category “Best Cover Design: Non-Fiction”
- Finalist in the 2020 Best Book Awards in the category “Best Interior Design”
- Finalist in the 2020 Best Book Awards in the category “History: United States”
- Spirit of the Earth: Indian Voices on Nature (edited by Michael O. Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald):
- Silver Medal in the 2017 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in the category “Body, Mind & Spirit”
- Finalist in the 2017 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards in the category “Nature”
- Gold Medal in the 2018 Midwest Book Awards in the category “Religion/Philosophy/Spirituality”
- Silver Medal in the 2017 Benjamin Frankin Awards in the category “Gift Book”
- Winner in the 2018 Best Book Awards in the category “Multicultural Non-Fiction”
- Finalist in the 2018 Best Book Awards in the category “Best Interior Design”
- Finalist in the 2018 Best Book Awards in the category “Spirituality: Inspirational”
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