Lesley ThomasP.O. Box 9627
Seattle, WA 98109
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FLIGHT OF THE GOOSE Flight of the Goose is award-winning fiction. Writes Roberta Louis of Shaman's Drum Journal: "Although I have chosen to focus largely on shamanic themes...the story addresses many other significant issues as well - among them, climate change, environmental crisis, and indigenous rights. 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. Thomas has created 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." By the eminent anthropologist Dorothy Jean Ray: "This is one of the best novels of Alaska that I have read. Situated in the western part of the state far from the glitz of Anchorage, the book is primarily a love story of a man and a woman from different cultures, but it is also a love story of the Earth and of a village that is struggling to accept the changes of the new economy, subsistence pursuits, spirituality, and the environment of the 1970s. This may be about a fictitious village, but with the author's unerring knowledge of anthropology and social and environmental issues, it could fit any rural Alaskan village. The author's skillful weaving of a complicated love affair with the nitty-gritty troubles of a village reminds us throughout of the role of the goose, which makes a most memorable story, one you will want to read again and again."
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." "Flight of the Goose...is another fine example (of
nature/environmental writing in Alaska fiction)." "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."
"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 "I just read the last words in the book; I was crying but could read through the tears. I will be 64 in January and this is the most honest, poignant and beautiful book I have ever read." ~Joanna Harcourt Smith, futureprimitive.org 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.” ~Nancy Lord, Alaska’s writer laureate and author of Beluga Days and Rock, Water, Wild Upcoming Events AUTHOR DISCUSSION AND OTHER EVENTS Winter 2010, upcoming interview with Joanna Harcourt at FuturePrimitive Winter Semester 2010, University of Alaska Fairbanks studies "Flight of the Goose" again! 2010, two of my short stories will appear in University of Alaska Press flash fiction anthology "Cold Flashes" November 2009, my short story "End Times for Ruby" set in modern Nome, Alaska appears in The Northern Review literary journal August 09, my poem "Why as a Mighty Salmon I Will Not Leave" satirizing ex-governor Palin won third place in 49 Writers Ode to a Dead Salmon poetry contest, later appearing in "Alaska Magazine" June, 2009, FirstBorns book club in Oregon reads Goose: see photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/tvbenge/FirstBornsBookGroupAtPatSJune2009# 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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