Customer Reviews

The Raven's Gift: A Scientist, a Shaman, and Their Remarkable Journey Through the Siberian Wilderness

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You should see my copy of The Raven's Gift. The spine is bent out of shape from reading the book in bed; some pages have food stains on them from reading the book in restaurants (nachos and books should never be enjoyed at the same time); and the book's cover is worn from being stuffed in and pulled out of my travel bag. In other words, The Raven's Gift has been a great companion!

I assume people reading this review will already know, in general, what The Raven's Gift is about, so I'm not going to repeat that information here. Instead I'll say this: The book will surprise you. It will make you care about a culture you've never heard of before. It will challenge your belief system. You'll never look at a raven the same way again. You'll definitely laugh, and you might even cry.

Jon Turk is a wonderful writer. His words flow off the page, making it easy to enjoy the story without being distracted. Even readers in warm climates will find themselves reaching for a sweater as they follow Jon on this unusual and touching Arctic quest.

Highly recommended!

Marty Essen
Author of "Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents"

Great Read. This memoir eloquently articulates Jon Turk's incomprehensible journey of mind, body and spirit. If you enjoy adventures of the physical and metaphysical, this is the book for you. Set against the backdrop of the "frozen and forgotten" tundra of Siberia, The Raven's Gift has the ability to reach similar places within the soul and foster an awakening. Grab a warm mug of tea, tuck in and enjoy~

Jon Turk has written another wonderful book in The Raven's Gift!

Part adventure travel, part spiritual quest,part healing journey (physical,spiritual,emotional),part anthropological study.............all wrapped up in real friendship and love,The Raven's Gift is a delight.

Through his story of travels throughout North America and the Siberian tundra, Jon educates us in the cultural ways of the remaining native Koryak, explores the physical limits of the human body, and especially challenges us to be open to new/old ways of thinking and being-------------in our mind,body,and spirit.

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Jon Turk is a scientist and adventurer who has, among many accomplishments, paddled the length of Kamchatka (recounted in a Mar/Apr 2001 Russian Life article by his late wife, Christine Seashore) and the Pacific Rim. Jon Turk is also a gifted writer and storyteller.

Turk the scientist was not inclined to mysticism. But it was thrust upon him when a series of "chance" events near Vvenka (where Kamchatka Peninsula meets the mainland) led him to be miraculously and inexplicably (in the rational world of modern science) healed by a Siberian shaman, Moolynaut.

Turk recounts his journey through nearly a decade of life, centering on repeated visits to Moolynaut, exploring the lines between this world and the next, between modern culture and Koryak culture, between himself and the world around him. As one Russian friend tells him:
"You are a poor traveler in the Other World... You must make a long, hard journey... in the Real World. You will be hungry and tired. Then maybe, if you are lucky, you will find what you are looking for."

It is well worth joining Turk on his journey to find what he is looking for. He is uncannily observant and perceptive, self-effacing, sensitive, and quite often very funny.

As reviewed in Russian Life.

I originally purchased this (2 copies) for my son and son-in-law as gifts (one's a boat builder/canoeist, etc., and one's a long time ski patrol, kayaker, mountain climber, etc). I thought I'd glance through a copy to familarize myself.... but I found it so well written and exciting, that I had trouble putting it down. I liked the intellectual level which is not always found in books of this type..... how Turk leaves what appears unbelievable open to question. As a woman (mid 70's), I also enjoyed his sensitive side and his obvious compassion. I'm just sorry that I missed the opportunity to meet the author at his book-signing event when he was in Santa Fe. (The local newspaper reviewed this book which led to my selection.)

The Raven's Gift is my second armchair adventure with Jon Turk. What drew me to it was the scientist vs shaman hook, though I cheerfully admit to a fondness for any tale dealing with the far north. Thanks to my Dad, I grew up on Robert Service's ballads and Jack London's stories, and some of my fondest memories are of the aurora country just south of the Arctic Circle in Yellowknife, Canada. But let's go back to scientist vs shaman.

The best scientists have keen powers of observation. That's what gives a shaman his/her power, too. Both Jon Turk and his Siberian friends are blessed with a superior ability to see, and Dr. Jon (PhD) Turk is doubly blessed with a talent for finding the most amazing words to share his observations with us. I found the language of this book a delight.

More than that, I was moved to deep thought about the powers we have gained through technological process--convenient air travel to a place like Kamchatka, chemical analyses of water, the Internet, that sort of thing--and the powers we have lost, such as the ability to taste the wind and listen to the snow, to smell the earth and sing to wolves, to understand that we human beings are in no way separate from our environment.

Thinking of shaman vs scientist and weighing the truth of scientist Jon vs shaman Moolynaut-- witnessing the lives of Misha, Igor, Lydia, Dmitri, Svetia, Chris , Sergei and even Anastasia's baby--I ended up more convinced than ever of the truth of the Buddhist maxim that everyone's life is equally real.

The world is round. Put your finger anyplace on the globe, and it becomes the central point. Shine a light on any person living at any point, and the one truth that is absolutely clear is this: no matter what the arena, their life and death struggles are real. They matter. Deepening this understanding is Jon Turk's gift to readers of The Raven's Gift.

I really enjoy Jon Turk's books, and I've read all three. They are all different in subtle ways, and I suspect that his writing "voice" may be an acquired taste for some. What I like most about this one is that he doesn't get his analytical/scientific mind get in the way of the mystical culture of the people he spends so much of his time with in this book. I also like his reporting on how these Siberian natives live, how the changes in Russia have affected their lives, and their ongoing struggle just to survive. It challenges the perspectives we have in our Western cultures, with all the waste and "stuff" we think we need to live with. Some of his conversations with people -- like the lonely reindeer herder who would like a computer so he too could "talk to the world" -- were poignant.

I'm a fan of Jon Turk, and have seen him twice as part of talks/readings. I'm looking forward to reading about what he does next. His writing makes me want to get out and have adventures of my own!

Very compelling and touching to read. The simple yet profound pearls of wisdom from the Koryak people are simple yet profound. Turk's openness to and about his journey was moving. I finished this book in two days and found myself wanting to meet the author.

A wonderful look inside an area little known or understood. The simplicity of their life - yet hardships endured without bitterness is mind boggling.