Customer Reviews

River

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Lowen Clausen's fourth novel, River, flows like the Loup, Platte, Missouri, and Mississippi rivers on which its protagonist, John, kayaks. He's searching for himself and grieving the premature death of his son, Amleth. Although River is a novel, the author's description and historical storytelling is reminiscent of Ian Frazier's travel narrative, Great Plains--which covers some of the same territory. It also possesses the gathering psychological and emotional momentum of Robert M. Persig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Mr. Clausen's vivid place descriptions, historical story telling, character development, and the text's flowing pace make it an enjoyable read that is difficult to put down. This means it may cause some sleep deprivation, despite quotations inside the front cover suggesting otherwise.

Readers curious about and familiar with the region paddled through will likely enjoy it most. I remain curious if live ducks really do reside in that hotel in Memphis. Who knew that the name Loup River was derived from the French word for wolf? One could likely live on its banks in central Nebraska for a long time and never reach, or even ask the question that leads to, that insight. My only request is that when this book goes into a second printing, it would benefit from additional maps throughout to assist readers less familiar with every curve in the rivers traveled.

In any case, Clausen's River will eventually join a place on my bookshelf of the American Center with Frazier's Great Plains, Lois Phillips Hudson's, The Bones of Plenty, Kathleen Norris's, Dakota, and Mark Twain's, Huck Finn. I say it will eventually deserve its place on that shelf because I'm waiting for it to return from a friend to whom I have already lent it.

I have not yet received this book. I'm not sure if it is lost in the mail or hasn't been sent yet, but I am becoming concerned. It appears that I have been charged for this book.