Phantom Waters: Northwest Legends of Rivers, Lakes, and Shores

Prolific fantasy/folklore/science fiction author Salmonson offers 25 short stories, mostly reworkings of Pacific Northwest Native American myths that tell how various tribes interpret their relationship to water. For example, "The Door to Rainmaker's Lodge" tells the Squamish tale explaining rain. These accounts succeed both as folklore and as short stories. In addition, Salmonson's 30 pages of notes and commentaries give enough background to make the work useful to academics, even though there are no footnotes or index. Salmonson's feminist and science fiction approaches are not found here, although the writing is skillful and straightforward; the narrative collection will retain its interest and value for many years. Highly recommended for libraries in the Pacific Northwest and for libraries collecting myth, folklore, or Native American materials.
Patrick J. Brunet, Western Wisconsin Technological Coll. Lib., La Crosse
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.