Review: In Search of The Kushtaka, Alaska's Other Bigfoot: The Land-Otter Man of the Tlingit Indians
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 23, 2014
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review. I have read books by author Dennis Waller in the past, and I have never been disappointed. He writes with the wisdom and insight of someone who is accustomed to reflection as a personal habit of life.What I find personally relevant, indeed fascinating, about this book is that it deals with legends of Alaska. In this case, it is the Kushtaka. I have visited Alaska four times, twice in "summer" and twice in winter. On each visit to the interior, I was privileged to spend considerable time among the villagers of Quinhagak and of Chignik Lake, near the Kuskokwim Delta, arriving in and leaving Bethel by plane. I thus learned a great deal about Alaskan native culture.One such custom is the telling of stories about their ancestors. Storytelling, the oral tradition, is alive and well in the Alaska I came to know. As you read this book, you will have to deal with whether or not you believe the myth, the legend you find within its covers. I can not help you with that, the task is yours.  What I can say is this: you are in the hands of a master storyteller. The story is well told. I recommend it for young and old alike. My rating is five stars, as this book resonates with my own experience in Alaska.Reviewed by Thomas Jerome BakerAuthor ofAmazon Book Reviews: Fair & Unbiased