Some say the day he died, the day Dwight shot him in the chest or heart, that they saw him moving above water, dead, as if it was his soul, carried straight out to sea. Others say his body traveled to land. Some are certain a wave took him under and there was a great stillness on his face that made them less afraid of death, therefore of life. They saw a whale carry him, and some saw an octopus tentacle wrap around him like a snake and hold him into the air.

Some just say the spirit world searches for us. It wants us to listen.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

With gratitude to all of my supportive friends and relatives. I thank especially Deborah Miranda, Margo Solod, and Peggy Shumaker for material help with this book during rough times. Thanks to Allison Hedge-Coke, a great human being. Thank you, Dave Curtiss, for being There. For Lisa Wagner and your creative energy. For Cathy Stanton and our long talks. For Kathleen Cain and your trees. For my student and husband, who talked with me about Viet Nam back before my accident. I apologize for forgetting names. For my Brenda Peterson, who also loves the whales, and for the Quillieute Nation and other paddling Nations with beautiful canoes and paddlers who do not kill. And last, for my brother, Larry Henderson, who went with me on part of this journey where we survived the “desperadoes” and their guns! This book has been a long time in the creation and I could go on about all the people and whales who have helped me throughout, but I hope you all know who you are.

PEOPLE OF THE WHALE

Linda Hogan

READING GROUP GUIDE

PEOPLE OF THE WHALE

Linda Hogan

READING GROUP GUIDE

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS