Tales of Spirit Mountain
Sometimes the best way to get a sense of a place’s past is to read the
stories created there. This book unfolds for the reader the life around
the head of the lakes basically from the time of the voyageurs to early
European settlements into the region.
In her book, recently released in a revised version, Anne
Crooks mingles historic events and people with narratives and views of
people’s lives from the period.
Thanks to Anne’s research, the book serves up a sampler
gleaned from various historical and other sources. She uses diaries and
books from people who lived through what she describes and she uses
their stories to tell the full story of the period.
The well-paced text is seasoned with historic photographs or drawings, many from the past.
Because I’m a lover of books well put together – in the
physical as well as the contextual sense – it’s worth noting that this
book, a slightly oversized nearly square volume, holds open beautifully
for ease of reading. The airy design encourages relaxed consumption.
That makes it a candidate for any good summer reading list.
 – KLM
As Long as the Moon Shall Rise: Reflections on the Full Moon
Another recently reprinted book is a reflective, soothing collection of art, poetry and prose connected to the moon.
Lake Superior makes its appearance a few times in the book,
as does an excerpt from Longfellow’s famed “Song of Hiawatha” poem so
linked to the lake. That poem, as with many of the other selections,
speculates as to what that image oft seen on the full moon may really
be.
Grandmother Nokomis, “daughter of the moon” in Longfellow’s
poem, tells of an angry son tossing his mother against the moon. One
sees her outline against the full moon.
Less gruesome is a story that suggests that on the full moon
is a selfless hare, placed there to remind all to keep a generous
spirit.
The choices made for this small volume blend familiar with
new and collects an impressive array, including images of Chagall,
Rousseau and Van Gogh along with the words of Twain, Thoreau and
Whitman and many, many other artists and writers.
The small Duluth, Minnesota, publisher that released this
book has also focused on poetry and Native American books, making
strong choices worth exploring.
– KLM
|
Free Membership
