River Song

by Craig Lesley

River Song rejoins Danny Kachiah, the Oregonian Nez Perce drifter and failed rodeo rider first introduced in Craig Lesley's award-winning novel, Winterkill. Danny is determined to get closer to his son, Jack, to teach him traditional ways to steer him away from rodeoing. Danny and Jack survive a forest fire, make a go of it as migrant workers, then finally settle down to salmon fishing on the Columbia River. There they join forces with Willis Salwish, a mysterious old Yakima Indian who clings to traditional fishing sites despite opposition from white fisherman. Danny's friendship with Willis draws him into the dispute over fishing rights, and it's Willis who brings him face to face with ghosts from his past, and leads him to his lost heritage.

Genres: Fiction, Native American, American

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Craig Lesley is the author of 4 novels and a memoir, along with numerous other works. He has received three Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Awards, the Western Writers of America Golden Spur Award for Best Novel, and an Oregon Book Award. He has been the recipient of several national fellowships and holds a Doctorate of Humane Letters from Whitman College. Currently the Senior Writer-in-Residence at Portland State University, Craig lives with his wife and two daughters in Portland, Oregon. Both Storm Riders and The Sky Fisherman were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Reviews

[Chrisl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regional writing about Nez Perce and River Indians in America a few decades ago. Most of the story is set in the destroyed habitat where Salmon Culture once reigned, home of most intense population that thrived in Native America when Europeans arrived.

"The falls were the sixth-largest by volume in the world and were among the largest in North America ..." wiki

Celilo Falls and The Dalles were strategically located at the border between Chinookan and Sahaptian speaking peoples and served as the center of an extensive trading network across the Pacific Plateau.[11] Artifacts from the original village site at Celilo suggest that trade goods came from as far away as the Great Plains, Southwestern United States, and Alaska.[12] There are also numerous rock art drawings at the head of the falls. This demonstrates the site to not just be important for trading purposes. It acted as a melting pot for the cultures which fished and traded there.[13] When the Lewis and Clark expedition passed through the area in 1805, the explorers found a "great emporium…where all the neighboring nations assemble," and a population density unlike anything they had seen on their journey. Accordingly, historians have likened the Celilo area to the “Wall Street of the West." (from the wiki)

***

Our local library is two hours, two counties drive to the Columbia at Wasco. The story starts with a wildfire an hour north, on the Warm Springs Reservation, a refuge provided for River Tribes. Most of the story takes place along the Columbia, but there are also scenes set in Nez Perce Territory, a scenic six hours to the northeast from here in Oregon's center point.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warm_Sp...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nez_Per...


Informative and imaginative (Imagi Native). Enjoyable word structures, supporting interesting anthro/sociology. Pulitzer level author.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_L...

As a youngster, traveling the pre-freeway Columbian River Highway, US30, from where mother cooked for and served Greyhound passengers at the long gone Columbia River Cafe ... among the still with me images .. are the roadside views featuring River Indians fishing on their artistic platforms above, amidst the agitated waters of Celilo. And the side-views distorted autos, shanty shelters ... Craig's book not for everyone, but connections helped keep my interest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celilo_...

[Joseph Dorris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was happy to see Craig Lesley publish this second book, a sequel to Winterkill. At the time, I was raising two sons (and a daughter). I discovered a lot of wisdom in Lesley's writing. What continues to strike me is how the Nez Perce were strong in allowing a young man to make his own decisions and yet the older generation, not just the father, continually share their beliefs, really stories about how one should behave--lessons on life. Again, Lesley's ability to capture the country and create a strong sense of place is a strength, but his ability to capture the inner struggles between tradition and contemporary beliefs is his hallmark. He is unapologetic yet considerate.

[Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! “River Song” is the sequel to “Winter Kill” - which was also a very good book. However, “River Song” captures the plight of the Native American in a way that resonated deeply with me. Danny, the protagonist, is a man in cultural sway - wanting desperately to connect with his roots but struggling with how to do it. His life lacks real purpose except for his strong desire to connect with his nearly grown son. As he observes his son, he sees how he, Danny, has failed to imbue his son with a passion for his cultural heritage in much the way Danny’s father failed him. Lesley is a wonderful storyteller and he tells this story of cultural trauma without drama. He tells it as it is and in so doing, helps the non-Indian reader better understand what it is like to be a Native American in contemporary society. I live in the Columbia River Gorge where this story takes place and the physical description of place and landscape is a wonderful bonus to an excellent book.

[Rati Bars]

I enjoyed "River song" as much as Craig Lesley's first one ""Winterkill". This book gives an insight into the traditions of Indians, much more than his first one. Many cultural aspects of Indians are explained. It shows the frustrations of the Indians, the inability to compromise between general thinking and Indian ways are gently pointed out. It opened a whole new world for me.

As a story however, 'Winterkill' was more engaging for me. "River Song" felt more like a interesting way to throw light on the Indian way of life.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finally finished the long book, it isn't a fast read. Just full of Indian lore expecially near Hood River and Bingen, Pendleton and eastern Oregon. I found it fascinating but slow moving. Craig is a good author, of this type of literature.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book after completing Winterkill, the first in this series by Craig Lesley. He is a good story teller and Danny Kachiah is an interesting character, but I grew tired of the mysticism and the unresolved plot lines: who were those guys in the raft and what happened to Orville?

[Wes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story from Lesley. The only thing more intriguing than the stories is the author. I am glad to have been able to meet him and learn some of his craft from him.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We felt sad last night to find ourselves at the end of this wonderful novel, saying good-bye to Danny as he communed with the spirits of his ancestors along the shores of the Columbia River. This book added valuable dimensions to our understandings of the history of our new home here in Hood River. Great characters, vivid settings, loving depiction of Indian culture and spiritual dimensions.

[Deb Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book because of Lesley's familiarity with eastern Oregon. He appeared to be well versed in local history, Indian culture and issues regarding fishing on the Columbia River. I read the whole book, so it was readable, but I thought his dialogues all sounded like the same person talking, whether they were a teenager or an elderly man, so the conversations fell flat for me.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Lesley does appear to have Native blood, he tells the story of Nez Perce Danny Kachia's life with clear-eyed compassion and insight as fer as this white girl can tell. Fascinating history of PacNW Native cultures.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had trouble with this book. Until the end there didn't seem to be any real narrative. I also kept wondering how accurate Lesley's portrayal of the spiritual beliefs of the River Indians was. It's an okay book but not a keeper. (Part of my re-reading of all the books on my shelves effort._)

[Angela Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting...especially since a lot of the geographical areas mentioned I'm familiar with. I also learned a lot about Native American platform fishing.

[Prerzs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love books where you can't discern the difference between fantasy and reality. This is a powerful story of the Nez Perce Indians from the sacred Wallowa Mountains. It combines the tragic reservation life with the traditional way of living. I got to know Left Hand, Medicine Bird, Red Shirt and Danny and Jack.

[Guna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel tells of contemporary Pacific Coast Native Americans caught between the two cultures, and trying to fit in their own, traditional customs. The book starts with a raging forest fire, and goes on through fascinating episode after fascinating episode, ending with a fight between River Indians and those who are trying to force them off their lands.

[Mitchfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an Oregon classic, the follow up to Winterkill. Spectacular writing. I just hope Lesley completes a 3rd book, I'd love to know the next part of the story.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to read about local areas and Indian traditions.