Spirits of the Salmon River

Rating:
Summary: Great Spirits!
Review: Deinhardt writes as a person who has personally climbed, reached, dug and slid through water and mud to uncover not only the graves but the lives of those who came before. Her careful research is apparent as she shares some discrepancies found in various other publications. Whether read cover to cover, or about one individual at a time, it's an interesting take on the brave and somewhat eccentric individuals who chose the Salmon River as their home. Enjoyable and relaxing. It would be a terrific book to take along on a river trip on the Salmon or for all who may have visited the river in the past.

Rating:
Summary: Understanding life on the Salmon River
Review: Though K. Deinhardt's main focus in writing Spirits of the Salmon River may have been to give respect to those who lived there, her book offered something different to me, someone not as interested in history as the present. It interested me because I know the author, I know Idaho and I have experienced the Salmon River from taking rafting trips on it. Spirits of the Salmon River deepened my feelings for the River, as it recounted story after story of persons who lead adventurous, brave, hardworking and often short lives there. I was drawn to the stories of the women on the river. Reho Wolfe's story was especially impressive with it's combination of tradegy and success and a spirit that would not be defeated. Ms. Deinhardt offers detailed desciptions of not only what has happened to the people living on the River, but also easy to visualize pictures of the weather, the surroundings, the cabins lived in, the work that was done, family dynamics and challenges. I appreciated the simple, straightforward and well-researched writing that allowed me to experience this part of Idaho history in such an enjoyable way.