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Swift Dam, SIGNED by Sid Gustafson
A novel of the Blackfeet Indian Nation of Montana today. Highly praised by Jim Harrison, author of legends of the Fall.
- GenresFiction
152 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
2 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Sid Gustafson
20 booksSid Gustafson, novelist, veterinarian, equine behaviorist. Sid Gustafson lives in Bozeman, Montana with his children Connor and Nina where he writes, teaches, and practices his natural approach to equine veterinary medicine up and down the Rocky Mountain Front Range.
Sid was born in Montana, as were his children and parents. He grew up in the shadow of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and frequently travels to New York and California, where he represents the health and welfare of racehorses. "
Sid was born in Montana, as were his children and parents. He grew up in the shadow of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, and frequently travels to New York and California, where he represents the health and welfare of racehorses. "
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 5, 2017
Sid Gustafson’s spiritual journey deep into the wilderness of Montana and the wilderness of the past is a lyrical meditation on man and nature, time and memory and life and death (and life after death, both the supernatural and the natural, in man and in beast). This modern-day folktale is told from the interwoven perspectives of two men whose past and future bend around each other like the rivers and mountains of the landscape they inhabit, one coming to the end of his journey (one last vision quest) and the other just beginning to find his way. This is an evocative, sometimes haunting and always beautifully written novel, a timeless and wistful fable of the washing away of the old to make way for the new in common with another well-known flood story. Gustafson is an excellent writer and an excellent storyteller (and it’s an increasingly rare treat to find both skills on display in the same novel) who slowly draws you into the lives of his characters and the country they share a deep bond with. Highly recommended.
March 18, 2017
Sid Gustafson's _Swift Dam_ punches above its weight class: written by a practicing veterinarian, it reads like the work of a celebrated Iowa Writer's Workshop prodigy, and clocking in at only 150 pages, little more than a long novella, it takes its reader into a fully flushed out imagination of a very real event. Amidst its surface tale of the broken Swift Dam flood of 1964, it interweaves three distinct stories.
First, it puts forward a cautionary tale, warning us not to put too much faith in modernity's bold technological breakthroughs, for the water may indeed break through them, leaving us in the devastating ruins of a failed modernity. Like Walter Benjamin's vision of the Angel of progress as a series of train wrecks piling on top of each other, Gustafson shows us the dark, underbelly of modernity, suggesting forcefully that the Swift dam was not the first dam to fail, nor will it be the last. We need to stop seeing modern technology--again portrayed in the novel as the excessive use of chemicals to treat animals--as an infallable panacea, and become more cautious of its risks and dangers. As the bumper sticker says, "Nature Bats Last."
The larger second story is the tragic demise of the Blackfeet people, their lives, their property, and their hopes which were washed downstream, living below the dam. Here the story is less about the failure of modern technology per se, and more about the devastating losses caused by modernity's failure. Gustafson shows us how yet again Native Americans have born the brunt of a failed notion of Manifest Destiny which has repeatedly damaged Native people through military violence, infectious diseases, broken treaties, and now breached dams.
Gustafson's third narrative, however, is perhaps his most subtle and most fully realized. Told through the eyes of an old school veterinarian who eschews the excessive use of drugs, Gustafson weaves a tale about our alienation from the land and the animals who live on it. So in addition to telling a narrative about modernity's tragic failures, Gustafson also offers a ray of hope, depicting a world in which--through animal husbandry/midwifery and Native traditions and perspectives, we might reconnect to our lands and the animals who populate them.
This quick, but delightful, read restores faith in the old ways of the past as a cure for a world alienated by too much technology and an insufficient connection to Native lands and peoples.
First, it puts forward a cautionary tale, warning us not to put too much faith in modernity's bold technological breakthroughs, for the water may indeed break through them, leaving us in the devastating ruins of a failed modernity. Like Walter Benjamin's vision of the Angel of progress as a series of train wrecks piling on top of each other, Gustafson shows us the dark, underbelly of modernity, suggesting forcefully that the Swift dam was not the first dam to fail, nor will it be the last. We need to stop seeing modern technology--again portrayed in the novel as the excessive use of chemicals to treat animals--as an infallable panacea, and become more cautious of its risks and dangers. As the bumper sticker says, "Nature Bats Last."
The larger second story is the tragic demise of the Blackfeet people, their lives, their property, and their hopes which were washed downstream, living below the dam. Here the story is less about the failure of modern technology per se, and more about the devastating losses caused by modernity's failure. Gustafson shows us how yet again Native Americans have born the brunt of a failed notion of Manifest Destiny which has repeatedly damaged Native people through military violence, infectious diseases, broken treaties, and now breached dams.
Gustafson's third narrative, however, is perhaps his most subtle and most fully realized. Told through the eyes of an old school veterinarian who eschews the excessive use of drugs, Gustafson weaves a tale about our alienation from the land and the animals who live on it. So in addition to telling a narrative about modernity's tragic failures, Gustafson also offers a ray of hope, depicting a world in which--through animal husbandry/midwifery and Native traditions and perspectives, we might reconnect to our lands and the animals who populate them.
This quick, but delightful, read restores faith in the old ways of the past as a cure for a world alienated by too much technology and an insufficient connection to Native lands and peoples.
February 27, 2017
I have read many good books over the years. However every once in a while I come across one that seems to rise above the rest and "Swift Dam" is one of those books. Although a relatively short book (listed as 160 pages), it is a complex, interesting, and compelling story. Perhaps I am a bit biased; but it contains many of the elements I find important in a good read. These include a strong sense of place and the connection between humans, the land, animals, and one another. It is set in and around the Blackfeet Indian Reservation south of Browning, Montana.
The story involves the mysterious, nocturnal wanderings of country veterinarian Dr. Alphonse "Fingers" Valerone and his connection to the failure of Swift Dam during catastrophic flooding of 1964. Although an outsider, Fingers develops close relationships with the Blackfeet Indians and learns many things from them that help him in his veterinary practice. He also learns that water can bring both life and death and is impossible to control. Sometimes, the old ways may be better in the long-term and perhaps the spirits can lead us in the right direction if we are open to hearing them.
This book reminded me to a degree of some of the works of Ivan Doig, one of my favorite authors. The setting is the same as a number of Doig's novels and the ending is both unexpected and heart-warming.
The story involves the mysterious, nocturnal wanderings of country veterinarian Dr. Alphonse "Fingers" Valerone and his connection to the failure of Swift Dam during catastrophic flooding of 1964. Although an outsider, Fingers develops close relationships with the Blackfeet Indians and learns many things from them that help him in his veterinary practice. He also learns that water can bring both life and death and is impossible to control. Sometimes, the old ways may be better in the long-term and perhaps the spirits can lead us in the right direction if we are open to hearing them.
This book reminded me to a degree of some of the works of Ivan Doig, one of my favorite authors. The setting is the same as a number of Doig's novels and the ending is both unexpected and heart-warming.
August 25, 2016
I received this ebook free from the publisher through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. This is a wonderful story about life in Blackfeet country Montana and the memories and aftermath of a great flood in spring of 1964 that tragically wiped out a large Blackfeet community. The author tells of the life and work of a country veterinarian and a country sheriff, their interactions and relationships, and how their lives are still affected by the great flood of 50 years ago. Sid Gustafson is a great storyteller. This isn’t a thriller or mystery just good down to earth fiction about real people like you and me and their life experiences. The author is a very descriptive and colorful writer. I love the way the author tells a story and look forward to reading more books by Sid Gustafson.
August 29, 2019
Summary: The worst flood in Montana’s history occurred in 1964, when the Swift Dam broke after being inundated with rain and snow. Thirty-one lives were lost, all but one on the Blackfeet Reservation. (1)
Using this fact as background, plus his own knowledge and experience of that area, the author gives us a story that ties the past and present together through two men. One of the men is an elderly veterinarian. He uses his hands and deep knowledge to train animals, particularly horses, and heals those who are sick or injured. He eschews the modern ways of diagnosis through tests and technology. He listens deeply to the land and native peoples and wanders the hills above the dam like he is an integral part of his environment. The other man is the sheriff. Despite being half Native American, his mother sent him to live among the whites as a child. His background makes him uniquely qualified to be sheriff, although he would happily give up the job and go live on a ranch with his wife and unborn child.
The veterinarian has a decades long habit of disappearing for days. Yet on this particular occasion, his youngest son wants the sheriff to go find him. The son is sure his father is sick or dead. His father was frequently seen leaving the house with a mysterious black bag. The son desperately wants to know why the old veterinarian is doing this and what it means. The sheriff doesn’t panic, but takes his time to mull over what he knows about his old friend. The conclusions and truths that he reaches will profoundly change his life.
Comments: In Swift Dam, the author builds a rhythmic, thematic story of the importance of the natural world and of family ties. The tale pulled me deeply into the flow of water and time. I felt my heartbeat slowing, my tension easing. Having spent my life in suburbs and cities, I am not usually at ease in nature. There is too much danger that I am not equipped to handle, as my body’s allergies and imbalances in the great outdoors threaten to topple me into instability. But reading this novel made me feel like I was part of that land, even if for just a little while. For that, I am thankful.
Recommended for readers of Literary Fiction and Historical Fiction
My rating: 4.5 STARS
(1). Great Falls Tribune: 1964 flood: Worst flood in Montana’s history left death, destruction
Using this fact as background, plus his own knowledge and experience of that area, the author gives us a story that ties the past and present together through two men. One of the men is an elderly veterinarian. He uses his hands and deep knowledge to train animals, particularly horses, and heals those who are sick or injured. He eschews the modern ways of diagnosis through tests and technology. He listens deeply to the land and native peoples and wanders the hills above the dam like he is an integral part of his environment. The other man is the sheriff. Despite being half Native American, his mother sent him to live among the whites as a child. His background makes him uniquely qualified to be sheriff, although he would happily give up the job and go live on a ranch with his wife and unborn child.
The veterinarian has a decades long habit of disappearing for days. Yet on this particular occasion, his youngest son wants the sheriff to go find him. The son is sure his father is sick or dead. His father was frequently seen leaving the house with a mysterious black bag. The son desperately wants to know why the old veterinarian is doing this and what it means. The sheriff doesn’t panic, but takes his time to mull over what he knows about his old friend. The conclusions and truths that he reaches will profoundly change his life.
Comments: In Swift Dam, the author builds a rhythmic, thematic story of the importance of the natural world and of family ties. The tale pulled me deeply into the flow of water and time. I felt my heartbeat slowing, my tension easing. Having spent my life in suburbs and cities, I am not usually at ease in nature. There is too much danger that I am not equipped to handle, as my body’s allergies and imbalances in the great outdoors threaten to topple me into instability. But reading this novel made me feel like I was part of that land, even if for just a little while. For that, I am thankful.
Recommended for readers of Literary Fiction and Historical Fiction
My rating: 4.5 STARS
(1). Great Falls Tribune: 1964 flood: Worst flood in Montana’s history left death, destruction
April 5, 2021
What a beautiful story. It took me a while to get into the flow, but once I did I couldn't put it down. I like that the dam and Montana were both characters in their own right. I wasn't sure about the number of viewpoints, but in the end I was grateful to have glimpses into those character's lives and thinking.
August 26, 2016
Afterword:
I am the novelist who wrote Swift Dam. Certain readers like to hear from the writer, so this review is for you. I am uncertain of the etiquette here, but to me it is appropriate to provide an afterword in this forum. I did read the novel after its publication after several months of laborious but rewarding revisions. The words now appear in their best possible, it seems to me. As a writer reading his own work, I am satisfied with the story's published version. This view could change with time.
I became witness to the Flood of '64 as a nine-year-old living near the tragedy. My father, Rib, a veterinarian and horseman, was called to help with his horses to scour the ravaged Birch Creek river valley in search of survivors, the seed of this novel. The river was hard to reach, their search curtailed. The only actual events in this novel are the breach of the original, earthfill Swift Dam by water in 1964, the ensuing drownings, and the digression regarding the horse named Spokane.
At this time, I see my third novel, Swift Dam, as an entertaining, educational, and textured allegory regarding the complex and evolving relationship between mankind, nature, water, and animals. As the author, I am honored and pleased with my publisher, Open Books, the editors David Ross and Kelly Huddleston, the outcome, the reviews, and the sales. A world unknown to many is revealed in my best cinematic literary fashion; Swift Dam is a poem, a story, a metafiction; an allegory, a plea, a eulogy. It is dedicated to victims of the Flood of 1964.
Thank you all.
Best wishes, Sid Gustafson
I am the novelist who wrote Swift Dam. Certain readers like to hear from the writer, so this review is for you. I am uncertain of the etiquette here, but to me it is appropriate to provide an afterword in this forum. I did read the novel after its publication after several months of laborious but rewarding revisions. The words now appear in their best possible, it seems to me. As a writer reading his own work, I am satisfied with the story's published version. This view could change with time.
I became witness to the Flood of '64 as a nine-year-old living near the tragedy. My father, Rib, a veterinarian and horseman, was called to help with his horses to scour the ravaged Birch Creek river valley in search of survivors, the seed of this novel. The river was hard to reach, their search curtailed. The only actual events in this novel are the breach of the original, earthfill Swift Dam by water in 1964, the ensuing drownings, and the digression regarding the horse named Spokane.
At this time, I see my third novel, Swift Dam, as an entertaining, educational, and textured allegory regarding the complex and evolving relationship between mankind, nature, water, and animals. As the author, I am honored and pleased with my publisher, Open Books, the editors David Ross and Kelly Huddleston, the outcome, the reviews, and the sales. A world unknown to many is revealed in my best cinematic literary fashion; Swift Dam is a poem, a story, a metafiction; an allegory, a plea, a eulogy. It is dedicated to victims of the Flood of 1964.
Thank you all.
Best wishes, Sid Gustafson
November 14, 2016
This was an interesting read about a catastrophic event in Montana in 1964. The story was rather slow.
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May 11, 2018I enjoyed this book very much. the style of writing is unique I felt like I was a trusted friend hearing a story of the real and raw and humorous and sometimes grand stories of a remarkable human being.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews