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Rating: 
Summary: A Vividly Strange Collection of Arctic Folklore
Review: A vividly strange (and sometimes gruesome) but rich collection of Eskimo folktales from the barren, frigid Arctic. These odd tales weave themes of magic, taboo, old age and death throughout. They are derived from a remote land and a highly imaginative oral tradition. To give you an idea, some of the specific stories describe men who marry rocks and old people who marry insects, children who grow antlers, children who eat their parents, animals who steal body parts from human corpses and women with iron tails. This collection is a great read, (...and not for the queasy). Highly recommended for any kayakers with a fascination for Greenland and Innuit history & culture
Rating:
Summary: A simple joy to read from cover to cover
Review: Expertly compiled and deftly retold by Lawrence Millman, A Kayak Full Of Ghosts: Eskimo Folk Tales is the first comprehensive anthology of Eskimo folk tales to be published in more than sixty years. Sometimes bawdy, sometimes bizarre, sometimes gruesome, and sometimes magical, the narrated stories comprising A Kayak Full Of Ghosts are a reflection of rich cultural heritage and of survival in a harsh land. Highly recommended for Native American Studies and Mythology/Folklore collections, A Kayak Full Of Ghosts is also a simple joy to read from cover to cover.
Rating: 
Summary: Strange but Fun
Review: This book is not at all what I was expecting. Each "tale" ranges from half a page to a few pages, and is self contained. These tales are quite imaginative with some being very funny, and some being gross. Some, you can't quite tell what to think of it. Likewise, some made sense, and some left me trying to figure out what the heck the tale has to do with anything at all, and what's the darn point. I had hoped to gain some insight into Eskimo culture and some of the origins of their beliefs. I'm not sure I got that... but I'm not sure I didn't get it, either. Nonetheless, it was interesting, and I shared many of the tales with family and friends, so I suppose it was worth the effort. Three quarters of the way through it, however, I got bored with it, and put it down. Some family and friends took a look at it, read 20-30 pages and gave it back. These friends aren't into the same things that I am (kayaking, canoeing, wildlife, camping, etc) and so were totally bored by it. I suppose this book is filling a niche, but it sure is a narrow one. It will be a good source when you want to share something strange with a friend, but I'd be careful who I recommended it to.
Rating:
Summary: Strange but Fun
Review: This book is not at all what I was expecting. Each "tale" ranges from half a page to a few pages, and is self contained. These tales are quite imaginative with some being very funny, and some being gross. Some, you can't quite tell what to think of it. Likewise, some made sense, and some left me trying to figure out what the heck the tale has to do with anything at all, and what's the darn point. I had hoped to gain some insight into Eskimo culture and some of the origins of their beliefs. I'm not sure I got that... but I'm not sure I didn't get it, either. Nonetheless, it was interesting, and I shared many of the tales with family and friends, so I suppose it was worth the effort. Three quarters of the way through it, however, I got bored with it, and put it down. Some family and friends took a look at it, read 20-30 pages and gave it back. These friends aren't into the same things that I am (kayaking, canoeing, wildlife, camping, etc) and so were totally bored by it. I suppose this book is filling a niche, but it sure is a narrow one. It will be a good source when you want to share something strange with a friend, but I'd be careful who I recommended it to.
Rating:
Summary: Strange but Fun
Review: This book is not at all what I was expecting. Each "tale" ranges from half a page to a few pages, and is self contained. These tales are quite imaginative with some being very funny, and some being gross. Some, you can't quite tell what to think of it. Likewise, some made sense, and some left me trying to figure out what the heck the tale has to do with anything at all, and what's the darn point. I had hoped to gain some insight into Eskimo culture and some of the origins of their beliefs. I'm not sure I got that... but I'm not sure I didn't get it, either. Nonetheless, it was interesting, and I shared many of the tales with family and friends, so I suppose it was worth the effort. Three quarters of the way through it, however, I got bored with it, and put it down. Some family and friends took a look at it, read 20-30 pages and gave it back. These friends aren't into the same things that I am (kayaking, canoeing, wildlife, camping, etc) and so were totally bored by it. I suppose this book is filling a niche, but it sure is a narrow one. It will be a good source when you want to share something strange with a friend, but I'd be careful who I recommended it to.
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