Lesley ThomasP.O. Box 9627
Seattle, WA 98109
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FLIGHT OF THE GOOSE Flight of the Goose is award-winning fiction that takes on Big Oil, ecological and cultural loss, shamanism, war, gender roles, climate chaos...and the human heart. Flight of the Goose is studied at It is listed as a source or publication of note in Cultural Survival Quarterly, First Alaskans Magazine, Sierra Club Magazine, Feminist Studies Journal, Sacred Hoop, and Shaman's Drum Journal and is being adapted for film and stage. "Explores themes of myth, cultural conflict, environmentalism, and spirituality against the spectacular backdrop of the Arctic tundra. Recommended." "The theme of star-crossed lovers is as old and universal as any in the world's storytelling traditions. Thomas conjures up a startling new variation in her impressive debut novel." "Thomas is fascinated by the forces unleashed when different cultures rub up against each other..." "Thomas applies her extensive knowledge of the culture, use of language, shamanism and way of life of the Inupiat people. The ecological destruction wrought by hunting and mining in the Alaskan system is a focal point. How two people from different cultures find love brings balance to the story...that will enlighten you to way-up North Country." ~Bookbuffet The story: 1971, the Alaskan Arctic. Kayuqtuq, "the red fox", an orphan traumatized by her past, seeks respect in her traditional Inupiat village through the outlawed path of shamanism. Things get complicated when she interferes with scientist Leif, who has come to research the effects of oil spills on salt marshes - and evade the draft. Told from Kayuqtuq's and Leif's perspectives, Flight of the Goose is a tale of cultural conflict, spiritual awakening, redemption and love in a time when things were, to use the phrase of an old arctic shaman, "no longer familiar". "The story took my breath away...I wept my way through it, identifying profoundly with both protagonists. All of the characters are thoroughly believable. The author has a fine grasp of the complexity of human relations and culture in such a village...She also writes beautifully. I was caught up from the first page."
"A truly glorious manifesto...An amazing understanding...When the stories of the ancestors begin, we sit quiet, forego comfort for as long as we must to learn something powerful, and yet, love every moment of it. This is one of those stories. It is difficult to be an ambassador, especially between two unbelievably different worlds. However, Thomas seems to be the perfect ambassador."
"Provocative...reminds me of growing up in the 1950s and '60s in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Deltas..."
"(An) exquisite example of storytelling...(with) a sense of Alaska Native culture and tradition...A well-written page-turner that will warm your heart." "Memorable...One of the best novels I have read of Alaska...primarily a love story of a man and a woman from very different cultures but also a love story of the Earth and a village...With the author's unerring knowledge of anthropology and environmental and social issues, it could fit any rural Alaskan village." ~Dorothy Jean Ray, A Legacy of Arctic Art "A remarkable achievement...Flight of the Goose is a novel about loss and loneliness, alienation and fear, acceptance and forgiveness, the natural and supernatural. Its memorable characters, believable setting, and complex treatment of problems that face us all in a world of unavoidable change and contact...will haunt the reader long after the covers have been closed." "This is an absolutely gripping tale - actually a skillful braiding of tales. I was moved by the characters and their fates as I have not been by a novel in a long time. The telling is masterful, the authenticity palpable, and the writing – its pace, color, tone - is exquisite. A remarkable work...a joy, a big broad deep river of a book, a work of substance and great beauty of both vision and style." "A wonderful tale." ~Randall Howell, editor of Arctic Sounder "A moving and extremely well-written story that, although set in the Arctic almost forty years ago, can help us learn to live more fully human lives today...Incorporating themes from both Western science and indigenous mythology, it explores our ability as human beings to overcome cultural differences and form meaningful relationships—and it does so with both artistry and insight." Flight of the Goose, as listed with The Kids from Nowhere by George Guthridge: "Two (books) stand out this year as exquisite examples of storytelling. Both focus on rural Alaska. Both focus share deeply some critical aspects of Alaska Native life…Both are authored by gifted writers who have a sense of Alaska Native culture and tradition…Both are well-written page-turners that will warm your heart and the hearts of those with whom you share the stories this winter." "Unique and beautiful...an absolutely splendid book. It is a great pleasure for me to "go" to places such as Flight of the Goose describes, and to "live" for a time in those environments. Thomas knows her subject very well, and describes it very well, and writes very well, and when this is all put together the results are superb." "A dreamlike flow of images and language, impeccably crafted and deeply rooted in an authentic sense of place...Thomas' first novel brims with promise." "Lucid and complex...enormously compelling (and) offers numerous avenues for theological reflections." "Thomas has done what would seem to be the impossible ~ taken us deep inside the Inupiat world, in the voice and mind of an extraordinary young woman with still more extraordinary powers. I know of no book like this. You'll be stunned by the depth and scope of this novel and the unique and unmistakably true voice of its heroine." "It should be required reading by Congress...Complex, thought provoking and moving...Flight of the Goose puts a human face on the much debated issue of oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness...A must read for anyone that wants to learn more about Alaska than is in the headlines." "What an extraordinary novel...(Thomas) deals with the shamanism and sorcery in a very realistic way..."
"Powerful...This book deserves the marketing and promotion that are too often wasted on inferior titles."
"A beautiful and compelling story of Arctic Alaska on the edge of cultural and environmental upheaval...cuts through sentimental notions of Native culture and arctic wilderness with a clear and powerful honesty. An extraordinary weave of the complexities of culture, environment, family, and - finally - love." "A deep rich novel that will leave readers eager for more of the truth about the 49th state.Flight of the Goose is a heartbreaker, but only in that special sort of way that makes you grateful for the hurt." "Moving and revelatory...This is a story we must all know before we make any decisions about the Arctic that will forever haunt future generations." "Unforgettable...rings as true as bell metal. Gretchen is one of the strongest, most authentic characters I have had the pleasure of encountering in a long time. Thomas tackles some very big stuff—anthropology, myth, gender, science, institutionalized religion, the spirit world, ecology, colonialism, and more—and not only never falsifies but manages to bring them all into a fruitful relationship with each other.(She) has my admiration." "Thomas is a brilliant writer. She weaves together a love story, a story about life in an Alaskan village, shamanism, spiritual awakening and deep ecology. I am recommending this book to everyone I know." "Remarkable...Beautifully written, original and fascinating...I pray there will be other novels bearing Thomas' byline." "Stunning...so powerful it pulls you in and won't let you go." "A wonderfully written, engaging story...the author brought real world issues into a novel, which really brought the characters to life." "Memorable and highly recommended (5 stars). A sophisticated story enriched by an impressive personal background...infuses realism and accurate detail into this work." "Flight of the Goose soars beyond the physical realm to touch the spiritual...Eloquent writing, vivid descriptions and a plot pulsing with passion…" "Thomas creates a vivid arctic landscape, and explores the equally real psychic terrain that is connected to it. This powerfully written love story draws forth the spirit of the north like the sun pulls vapor from the ice, arousing a new understanding of what it means to be human." "Intimate knowledge...a compelling portrait..." ~Bellingham Weekly "A haunting atmospheric tale...this truly amazing first novel has won well deserved praise. The author's own multi-ethnic heritage and youth spent in an Alaskan village gives the rich details depth and believability."
"Beautifully written, ethereal novel...masterful evocation...elevated psychological fiction(full of) nuance and complexity of the kind made famous by Melville." ~ "A truly beautiful literary achievement...Engrossing...Global warming and its tragic effects on the Far North have been on our minds these days,and Flight of the Goose is a great way to expand our knowledge of that remote region." "Heartrending...vivid...timely...This story of star-crossed lovers probes the most burning issues of our day: the rights of women…war versus peace; magic versus science; oil company greed versus the traditional — and sustainable — society of the Alaska native peoples." "Step into another world with this wonderful book... With rich, illuminating prose...Thomas takes us on a unique journey to find what we all seek: human compassion, trust, a sense of belonging, and of course, love." "Excellent read (5 starred). Thomas brings her first-hand knowledge of growing up in the Arctic forward into a haunting story…I quickly devoured (this) fantastically told tale." "At heart a love story...also a remarkable depiction of village life in the High Arctic at a time both near and far from our own." ~Recommended by Toyon Books, Healdsburg, CA "...Should be of interest to birders and naturalists because of the central role that birds and other wildlife play in the everyday lives of the people portrayed...An honest and vivid portrayal...If you want to get a glimpse of what Alaska is really all about, pick up a copy of Flight of the Goose and set aside some quiet time to allow yourself to be absorbed into the entrancing blend of mysticism and realism that characterizes Thomas’s prose." "Extraordinary..." ~University of Alaska Anchorage Bookstore "Thomas masterfully braids two voices from vastly different cultures in a tale of loss and love. Her sensitivity to traditional knowledge and ways of knowing shines through her language and craft. Flight of the Goose is a wonderful tribute to the Alaskan Arctic.” Upcoming Events AUTHOR DISCUSSION AND OTHER EVENTS Fall 2009, speaker at Fairhaven College World Issues Forum, W.W.U. Bellingham, Washington May 11, 2009, book club, Port Townsend, WA April 21, teleconference with University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Kuskokwim campus March 9, 2009, interview at 49 Writers, a new blog by and about Alaska writers March 2, 2009, teleconference with Juneau book club Spring Semester 2009, A P Biology Class at Peninsula High in Gig Harbor, WA chooses Flight of the Goose for its ecology curriculum! Winter Semester 2009, Boston University Theology Department chooses Flight of the Goose again for its curriculum! February 10, 2009, teleconference with Bethel Alaska book club Winter Semester 2009, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kuskokwim Campus English Department chooses Flight of the Goose for its curriculum! August, 2008, Pacific Northwest Library Association Conference Spring Semester 2008, Boston University Theology Department chooses Flight of the Goose for its curriculum! June - Dec 2008, Flight of the Goose displayed and sold at Burke Museum, University of Washington with exhibit "The Last Polar Bear: Facing the Truth of a Warming World" March 30, 2008; Glenallen Alaska book club (author teleported via wormhole) February 7, 2008; 7:00 pm - All For Kids (and Adults Too) bookstore : meet the author; Seattle September 26, 2007, 7-9:00 pm Snow Goose Art Gallery, free, 8806 Roosevelt Way NE Seattle, (206) 523-6223,http://www.snowgooseart.com/; September 6, 2007; 7:00 pm, free, Seattle Metaphysical Library, 2220 NW Market St, L-05 Seattle,(206) 329-1794, http://www.seattlemetaphysicallibrary.org/events.html June 2007; Presenter at Kachemak Bay Writers Conference, March 28, 2007; Santoro's Books , 7216 Greenwood Ave. N. Seattle, (206) 784-2113, February 13, 2007; 10th Mountain Infantry Division (World War veterans) Seattle Yacht Club April 16, 2007; University of Washington Extension Reading Club November 18, 2006; Nome Book Club; teleconference and remote signing September 9, 2006; National Federation of Press Women Annual Conference; book signing, selling, award ceremony; 3:30-8:00 pm; Adams Mark Hotel, Denver, CO September 13, 2006 In Other Words Bookstore; Portland, Oregon;
Reprint, Translation, Film/TV and Electronic Rights handled by Cine/Lit Representation (Contact Mary Alice Kier at cinelit@msn.com) |
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