Impressions: Novel unveils hiking, fishing, secrets

Deborah Tompkins Johnson/Columnist
Published: August 2, 2008

As you know, I am often looking for good books for men. Well, I stumbled across "Wind River." And, this is a good one.

As I was deciding among three books, "Wind River" was my choice partly because it had been named as a best book for 2007 by Christian Fiction Review, a Web-based book review site.  I had previously decided to seek some award winning books. So "Wind River" is one of the first for you, this year.

The writer for Christian Fiction Review, christianfictionreview.com, encourages reading novels.

"There are many more choices out there, ranging from fantasy to thrillers, Westerns to sci-fi, and so on," christianfictionreview.com says. "Part of what this Web site is about, is sifting through to find the best."

Tom Morrisey's "Wind River," like most novels tells many stories. "Wind River" wraps together the story of the grief and guilt an Iraqi war vet, a reunion of a young man and an old man, which gives an 86-year-old man a chance to once again undertake intricate hiking and fly-fishing. The novel concludes with the disclosure of a crime and then a reunion of sorts.

Just when I bought into the fact this was simply a story about a young man taking an old man on perhaps his final trek to several trout lakes to do some serious fishing, the author goes and interjects a violent past incident. Was it a crime or was it an accident? Was it time for the truth to be told or was it best to let the past remain buried?

Morrisey gives great detail in "Wind River." If you are an outdoorsman, you will appreciate the detail. If you are an occasional hiker, like me, you will learn how the experts explore and survive.

Bethany House Publishers describes Morrisey as an author of six novels and short stories and a world-renowned adventure-travel writer. Morrisey's other novels, also in an outdoor or ocean setting, include "Dark Fathom," "Deep Blue" and "In High Places," released this past spring.

Learn more about "Wind River" and other books by this author at TomMorrisey.com or BethanyHouse.com.

Please do let me know if you decide to read "Wind River" or any other of Morrisey's books.

Deborah Tompkins Johnson can be reached at .