Skywater

Brand X and his fellow coyotes . . . are meticulously observed in the desert environment that Ms. Popham seems to know like her backyard. And so are the people of this fableold Hallie and Albert . . . and the several varmint-hunters, callous or alcoholic or both. There is a parable of how we might relate to the creatures that share the world with us; and a parable of dreams versus realty; and a parable of home, of known territory with its comparative safety; and a parable of making the best of a world short of everything. The people and the creatures of Ms. Pophams fable are right, they belong, and they mean. Wallace Stegner This spare and affecting novel has the precision and the stinging sweetness of a fable. A wonderful book. Thomas McGuane Refreshing . . . Life-affirming . . . The first book Ive read in a long time that left me with teary eyes at the end.The San Diego Tribune Captivating . . . The animals arduous westward journey down the Colorado River to the Gulf suggests a coyote world view that is subtly sustained by their mysterious ways. Publishers Weekly With dramatic urgency and imaginative tenderness, Melinda Popham has given the world a painful, poetic, and delightfully unpredictable story that pulsates with hope and healing meaning. Al Young, California Poet Laureate Emeritus Rich with poetic resonance. Los Angeles Times Book Review Evoking a rich sense of place and animal behavior, [Popham] lets us see through very different eyes. The Seattle Times A daring and visionary tale. [Popham] dares to tell us what a coyote thinks and sees and feels and dreams. . . . A hero of the classic kinda furry, howling, water-seeking version of the Hero with a Thousand Faces. James D. Houston Masterful . . . Astonishing . . . Remarkable . . . Put down the latest technothriller and bask awhile in the descriptive prose of Skywater. L.A. Life