Setting out with her infant daughter and the baby's father, an Ojibwe spiritual leader and guide, Louise Erdrich embarks on an evocative journey to the islands of her forebearers in southern Ontario. They visit Lake of the Woods to visit powerful, centuries-old rock paintings that are still read by contemporary Ojibwe as ''teaching and dream guides'' and are also appreciated as art works. Then on to Rainy Lake, an island of real books.
Erdrich compellingly writes about the Ojibwe spirits and songs, language, and sorrows that have passed down through generations.
Set against commentary about her own family and contemporary life—and written in beautiful and powerful prose—this is an intensely thoughtful, intimate, and fascinating cultural excursion.
"We know we are in the hands of an exceptionally skilled, sensitive, observant writer."—Washington Post
"This book is a treasure and a delight."—Minneapolis Star Tribune
