THE SWAN: Tales of the Sacramento Valley (Paperback)

~ Andrew OHara (Author)
Key Phrases: jazz jubilee, River Bend, Irene Manning, Chief Jenkins (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Much has been written about the rich history of the Sacramento Valley - the Gold Rush of 1849, Sutter's Fort, the Donner Party and the Pony Express.

"The Swan" brings you tales inspired by the people who live in the valley today: their dreams, their hopes and loves, their weaknesses and their personal tragedies. Beginning with two children who meet in a field under the stars to face life and death together, author Andy O'Hara explores how ordinary people face extraordinary challenges with quiet determination and unseen heroism. O'Hara's characters are deep and wide-ranging, from an aged veteran struggling with his past, a grandfather's unique bond with a young girl, a prostitute's encounter with the great Sacramento River, to a highway patrolman desperately fighting thoughts of suicide.

This book is not without controversy. It's not a collection of warm and fuzzy "feelgood" endings--only life at its enigmatic, often confusing but truthful best. There are parts you will love, even hate, but they will force you to think.

A thread of ancient legend and mystery binds the people of these dramatic tales together in a web that will endear you, forever, to the charm and beauty of the Sacramento Valley.

About the Author

As a 24-year veteran of the California Highway Patrol, Andy O'Hara brings a broad range of experience and insight to the valley he remembers from his youth to the years he spent patrolling its highways as an officer.

Product Details

• Paperback: 152 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse; Revised edition (March 22, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414083157
• ISBN-13: 978-1414083155
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,003,668 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of Show Second Time Around..., August 18, 2007

By	James Bergstad "J. B. Bergstad" (Hendersonville, NC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Swan: Tales of the Sacramento Valley (Hardcover)

This is the new Swan, the 2007 Edition with feathers all bright white, fluffed and ready to lull and captivate you at the same time. Andy O'Hara has improved on the un-improvable this time around. The weave is tight, but so smoothly done the stories blend into each other, carrying two common themes to fruition by the turn of the last page. The fun is how Andy has taken the reader on a swing through his beloved Sacramento Valley. He describes obscure towns giving us a mental picture along with the smell of the dust, the fields, the eucalyptus groves and more. The stories, Andy claims, are fiction, but I would bet most have been drawn from his own experiences. A great read and a great buy, one I will enjoy over and over again...J.B. Bergstad

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vivid look at the Sacramento Valley, April 29, 2005

By	C. W. Gortner "Author of THE LAST QUEEN and T... (San Francisco, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Andy O' Hara's tales in "The Swan" offer a historically charged and compelling look at the people and events that shaped the Sacramento Valley. Poets, soldiers, lost souls, and dreamers come to life in an informed, often earthy account steeped in the lore of humanity. While each story can be enjoyed on its own, a complete tale in and of itself, together they present an evocative, and at times heartrending, portrait of a place that is clearly close to the author's heart. Silvery like the river that crosses its vale, polished with the hues of humidity and oak, "The Swan" is storytelling at its powerful best. Put this one on the shelf next to "To A God Unknown" by Steinbeck and Gabriel Garcia Marquez's "Love and Demons."

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reading, May 16, 2004

By	"dcurtin777" (Sacramento) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Swan: Tales of the Sacramento Valley (Hardcover)

I began this book with the expectation of the usual "local color" stories about an area. A nice surprise to find myself immersed in something new and original from a writer. This hooked me from the beginning. Each chapter took me to a new town in the Sacramento Valley and kept me engrossed. With the trivia being produced today, it's nice to read something that is thoughtful and leaves you with something. This was great.