The Great Western Divide [Hardcover]

John Spivey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2005

Imagine a nightlong campfire somewhere on the Kaweah River surrounded by, among others, Lao Tsu, Joseph Campbell, Clarence King (the first man to map the Great Western Divide), and Chappo, the last chief of the Potwisha. Hanging around the fringes, between the light and the dark, are Coyote and Crow. These are the spirits that inform the book as it continually poses the question, “Who are we really?” throughout the long dark night that moves toward dawn. In a panoramic vision that extends from the depths of the Pacific Ocean to the lake-encrusted, high granite peaks above the timberline of the Sierra Nevada, John Spivey takes the reader on a tour of the California landscape. The tour also includes the topography of our minds as it explores the valleys and peaks, the crags and meanders of the way we are. Spivey draws on his heritage as a descendent of one of the pioneer families of the Kaweah watershed of the Sierra Nevada. The book intertwines family tales of loss, Christian myth, Zen/Taoist stories and the history of the Yokuts Indians into a potent Pacific Rim brew of what it means to walk the dusty human road.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Spivey's devotion to the natural world and to understanding the human mind is evidient in his many interests. In addition to writing he is a teacher of middle school students in Santa Barbara, California, where he lives with his wife and daughter, as well as a master finsh carpenter and cabinetmaker. Besides academics, Spivey teaches his students outdoor skills that include cycling, backpacking, and cross-country skiing.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: CrowsCry Press; 1 edition (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0976569108
• ISBN-13: 978-0976569107
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,591,693 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book yet!, June 18, 2009

By 

Matthew Rangel - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Western Divide (Hardcover)

Spivey's book is not only philosophically rich but also a deep reflection of his homeland. His writing was triggered by a profound awareness that overcame him while finally visiting an inspirational place (Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park) that had always been there waiting to inspire him in a way that enabled him to re-vision his life. This leads him on a quest to dig up a history or narrative of the land. Through this he finds just how connected his own family history is to the narrative past of the region as a descendant of an influential pioneer family. This unearthing of history as well as a physical Journey into the depths of the back country lends him the sense of place, purpose and renewal that he had always been looking for.

Many of the places that Spivey refers to in this book are places that I am also deeply connected to and very familiar with and yet he offers the reader even more to connect with and understand about the land through interwoven personal and historical narratives. Also, his unmatched descriptions of the places and the settings that he ventures through offer those who have never been a chance to experience and connect to the land with a deep and profound sense of place which then allows readers to reflect and connect to places familiar to themselves.

It's a sort of vision quest through a dynamic landscape that parallels Spivey's state of mind. It's an inventive point of view that I believe any person could identify with but this is only because of Spivey's honest and genuine approach to writing.

Once I started reading Spivey's book, I couldn't put it down. It gripped me. I have never read anything like it and due to its overlapping of narratives ranging from autobiographical to historical to mythological as well as his deep reflective questioning of humanity, I always have a hard time categorizing it. That being said, this book is truly a work of art that needn't be categorized by anything other than its timeliness with regard our current state of being and our impact on the land.

This is a book that I will continually re-read!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite read this year, August 24, 2005

By 

Billy Goodnick "Cultural omnivore" (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Great Western Divide (Hardcover)

The book is partly autobiographical, going back several generations to his roots in the San Joaquin Valley farmlands and the still-unspoiled lands around him. The story is subtly spiritual in his weaving of geography, Native American cultures, and our current views of development. He does all of this in an honest and witty way, while revealing his own intellectual conflicts.

The subject matter is compelling, his story-telling is gentle and engaging, and his use of language conveys depth of thought in a direct, economical writing style. It's one of those books you can savor just for its craftsmanship.

He's had some great reviews in the local media. It seems he's tapped into a subject (much of it regarding being transplanted to Santa Barbara) that will resonate with many readers.

John Spivey is a teacher at Santa Barbara Middle School. With a son entering the 10th grade this year, I feel like I missed a fabulous opportunity by not having him in a classroom with John. I can think of no higher praise.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant book, August 24, 2005

By 

Anne Chen (California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Western Divide (Hardcover)

This is an intensely personal story that is compelling in its discussion about our vanishing wilderness and our true identity. The simple observations that John Spivey makes as he tells the stories of his land and his life are brilliant. Many times as I was reading the book, I had to stop and say, "Wow!" and marvel at how Spivey is able to articulate the truth. At other times, I found the questions he poses in the book to be so thought-provoking that I had to pause before continuing with the narrative. This is a bold book, rich in myth and steeped in the history of the Great Western Divide. Spivey has the courage to "tell it like it is."