The Owl in Monument Canyon: And Other Stories from Indian Country

At its best, this collection of 19 autobiographical anecdotes by Clark--a trader, art collector and soda pop salesman for over 40 years in Durango, Colorado--is affectionate in its evocation of the American West. Clark's landscape is well populated with colorful characters he has known. There are the prominent: John Wetherill, the controversial trader who discovered the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde; Harry Goulding, who dreamed of turning the majestic Monument Valley into a first-rank tourist attraction; Louis L'Amour, the western novelist. There are the unknown: Harold Baxter Liebler, an Episcopal missionary with profound sensitivity to Native American cultures; and Clark's hiking buddy, Joe, with whom the author explores ancient ruins and searches for a long-dead, mysterious soldier. Mystery and magic, in fact, are never far from the center of the volume. Many of the stories involve Navajo witchcraft and spirits. One of the most successful depicts a confrontation between a Navajo fundamentalist Christian and a medicine man; and the author's humorous dealings with a sharp Indian trader named Santiago are equally memorable. This is a book of gentle rewards. Photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)