The nurture of nature

Under Cottonwoods

Stephen Grace

The Lyons Press, $19.95

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Inspired by the author’s experience of using outdoor activities as a therapeutic tool for the disabled, this novel follows the adventures of Walter and Mike, a couple of guys operating on the physical and emotional fringe, who discover the restorative powers of mountains and rivers in the American West.

Walter has suffered brain damage as the result of an accident and works as a stock clerk at a Kmart, while Mike is emotionally damaged after the loss of his parents and a faltering marriage. Fly-fishing plays a central role in the story, providing a common bond that links the two as they try to regain footing from fractured worlds.

During excursions to Utah, Idaho and Wyoming, their friendship deepens, and Mike and Walter gain the strength needed to transcend disabilities that are potentially overwhelming. In his first novel, Grace writes with a lyrical power, celebrating the healing power of the human spirit set free in the wilds.

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-- Michael Koehn