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Book Reviewed by:Written in luminous prose and infused by an uncommonly rich sense of place, Medicine Walk is a stunning achievement.
When Franklin Starlight is called to visit his father, he has mixed emotions. Raised by the old man he was entrusted to soon after his birth, Frank is haunted by the brief and troubling moments he has shared with his father, Eldon. When he finally travels by horseback to town, he finds Eldon on the edge of death, decimated from years of drinking.
The two undertake a difficult journey into the mountainous backcountry, in search of a place for Eldon to die and be buried in the warrior way. As they travel, Eldon tells his son the story of his own life - from an impoverished childhood to combat in the Korean War and his shell-shocked return. Through the fog of pain, Eldon relates to his son these desolate moments, as well as his life's fleeting but nonetheless crucial moments of happiness and hope, the sacrifices made in the name of love. And in telling his story, Eldon offers his son a world the boy has never seen, a history he has never known.
The characters are expertly portrayed as well, with the two protagonists being drawn with both a believability and a complexity that makes them feel real. Another aspect of the book's appeal is the choice and development of its themes. In addition to exploring the relationship between father and son, the metaphorical journey toward one's mortality, and the importance of living in harmony with nature, the author takes great pains to illustrate the relevance of the overall story of one's life. I highly recommend Medicine Walk to anyone who enjoys reading high-quality literary fiction; in my opinion, it just doesn't get any better than this...continued
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(Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
Many cultures have a tradition of using a solitary walk to help individuals achieve their inner goals, whether it be deepening their spirituality, finding insights to problems, or helping determine a path in life. Some Native American tribes in particular, encourage adolescents to go on a "medicine walk" to obtain inner peace and establish a closer relationship with nature.
At its simplest, a medicine walk is open time and unplanned travel in a natural place – aimless wandering. Most who advocate this type of activity recommend that it take at least one full day, occur as far away from humanity as possible, and often endorse fasting to help improve personal clarity. It should be approached without having any set goal other than...
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Use what talents you possess: The woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best
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A deeply felt and profoundly moving novel, written in the kind of sure, clear prose that brings to mind the work of the great North American masters like Steinbeck. But Wagamese's voice and vision are also completely his own, as is the important and powerful story he has to tell.
