Customer Reviews

Home Is the River

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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I have read this book twice and will most likely read it again. It is a fun book to read, moves quickly and has a lot of appeal. It touches the major, univeral themes of politics, wilderness preservation vs. big corporate development, one man against seemingly impossible odds, self-reliance and rugged individualism vs. new-age attitudes, and there is even a love story intertwined. It should be made into a movie. And the animals become great supporting characters.

M.H. Salmon is an author who is hard to categorize. He's a novelist, conservationist, hiker, hunter, fisherman, canoeist, historian, houndsman, and all around outdoorsman. I doubt he would claim to be an expert at any of these things, but it's my opinion he speaks better than anyone else when it comes to explaining the mindset of those who enjoy living in the rural southwest.
I have all his books: Gila Descending, Tales of the Chase, Home is the River, Signal to Depart, Country Sports, Catfish as Metaphor, and probably others. He has risen in my estimation because of his unique way of expressing how those of us who choose to live outdoors in the west feel about the great country that surrounds us.
He's an "all around hand" who's body of work is greater than the sum of it's parts.
As far as his novels go,Home is the River is probably my favorite. Like the previous reviewer I read it every few years and enjoy it every time.
Gila Descending is also a great book written about the same country (Gila River, New Mexico). It explains his views on conservation while taking you along on a canoeing trip he made through the Gila wilderness and into Arizona. A great cast of animals accompany him in this book as well.