Night Fishing: A Woman's Dream Journal [Paperback]

Katherine Metcalf (Author), Katherine M. Nelson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Over an eight-year period just prior to, during, and for several years following surgery for cancer, Nelson recorded her dreams in word and image. In this collection of 80 such records, her subtle, colored pencil illustrations face across the page from the text of each dream. The pictures contain primarily images of nature, mountains, trees, streams, and a variety of animals, as well as geometric and symbolic forms. Mostly for the childlike beauty of these drawings, this is a sweet little book. Throughout, fishing is the primary metaphor for the dreaming process. Unfortunately, however, the catch is mostly served up undressed; there is little processing or interpretation, and the archetypal dimension is mentioned only in passing. Still, large general libraries and special libraries with dream interpretation books will find this a useful augment.?Terry McMaster, Syracuse, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publishers; 1st edition (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879057904
• ISBN-13: 978-0879057909
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,400,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4.0 out of 5 stars Catch of the day, August 19, 2009

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This review is from: Night Fishing: A Woman's Dream Journal (Paperback)

Here's an intriguing little volume for anyone interested in dreams. Author/artist Katherine Metcalf Nelson has kept a dream journal in both prose & pictures, preserving the images of each night's dreams & commenting briefly about them. It's something to be savored simply as a personal work of art, as well as providing insight into the meaning of our dreams.

It's true that she doesn't offer too much in the way of interpretation. But I'm not so sure that's a bad thing. Art shouldn't be over-explained; and there's as much art as there is science in exploring the psyche. What's lost in the lack of detailed interpretation is compensated for by the overall effect of the imagery: as the pages go on, certain recurring themes & motifs begin to appear, and the reader begins to get a feel for what's going on in the author's life & emotions.

For those who wonder about keeping a dream journal, this book not only offers encouragement, it offers a different way of capturing those images & mulling over them. And for those who have studied dreams & dream psychology, this will provide some real insight by making theoretical constructs quite tangible & real. Recommended!