Customer Reviews

Not All Spirits

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Readers who found themselves enthralled by J. V. Lofgren's poetic voice in THE SEARCH FOR JACK LONDON will be pleased to rediscover his voice in NOT ALL SPIRITS. Capturing the spirituality and the culture of the Inupiat Indians of Alaska, Lofgren recreates the life of Charlie Frankson.

Charlie lives in two worlds, that of the physical and that of the spiritual. He grows up a part of both the white man's world and the shaman's world. At the age of fifteen, the Catholic missionaries enroll him in an Iowian seminary to become a priest.

Two weeks into his period of silence before ordination, the Elders call Charlie back to Alaska to complete his Shaman training. They call him back a second time, years later, to save the village from destruction. During that time, the lesson that not all spirits are from God becomes a testimony to the changing world of the Inupiat and the dangers to those who don't understand the spirits of the ancestors of the land.

A gentle, compassionate man, Charlie understands the political mechanisms that threaten his people's well being, as well as their own spiritual crisis. Underestimated by those who would profit from Inupiat land, Charlie's story reveals the strength of human spirit and the power of spirituality.

Lofgren writes with a deep respect of the Inupiat culture with a sense of magic and mystery. The remarkable tale of Charlie Frankson reveals a man of deep passion and spiritual gifts, bringing profound meaning to this simple tale. The characters become vibrant, living beings, even those not of this world. Very highly recommended.