Coyote in the Mountains and Other Stories

by John Rember, Julie Scott (Illustrator)

Short stories follow Coyote, a Vietnam veteran, in his relationships with a variety of people, each summed up with an animal name. Comprised of nine stories that read sequentially, the book reads like a novel, a fable of the New West, with Coyote drifting through the lives of domesticated characters in a resort community in the Northern Rockies. The book is beautifully accented with illustrations by artist Julie Scott.

102 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1989

About the author

John Rember lives and writes in the Sawtooth Valley of Idaho. Recurring themes in his writing include the meaning of place, the impact of tourism on the West, and the eventual impossibility of industrial civilization.

John's latest work, Journal of the Plague Years, is a three-volume series of personal journal entries written during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. His book, A Hundred Little Pieces on the End of the World, is a meditation on teaching, writing, and friendship in an increasingly fragile world. MFA in a Box: A Why to Write Book was recognized by the Nautilus Awards, Hoffer Awards, and Midwest Book Awards as one of the best new books on creative writing. His memoir Traplines: Coming Home to Sawtooth Valley was named Idaho Book of the Year by the Idaho Library Association. He is also author of three short story collections: Sudden Death, Over Time; Cheerleaders from Gomorrah: Tales from the Lycra Archipelago; and Coyote in the Mountains.

John has written numerous articles, stories, and essays for publications ranging from Travel and Leisure to Wildlife Conservation to High Desert Journal to The Huffington Post. He taught for many years at The College of Idaho in Caldwell and in the Pacific University MFA program in Forest Grove, Oregon.

Reviews

[Felicity]

I currently abstain from giving stars to faculty in my grad program.

These are great little stories, reflective but often cuttingly hilarious. The title character seems to seamlessly incorporate cynicism and acceptance, making him an interesting observer of life and human beings.

From the title, it's obvious that there's an element of the mythic in these stories. However it is, for the most part, not only understated but unstated. Its omnipresent whisper gives an added dimension of loss and diminishment to the tales that is poignant without being sentimental.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book.