Book Notes | ‘Fox Creek’
Fox Creek is the 19th book in the Cork O’Connor mystery series by William Kent Krueger. Krueger makes his home in St. Paul. His Cork O’Connor books are set in the Northwoods of Minnesota. The main character, Cork O’Connor, is a man of mixed heritage—Irish and Ojibwe. When asked how he conceived of this character, Krueger said, “If I created a character of mixed heritage in this setting, a man who had a foot in two different cultures, white and Ojibwe, I would mirror the conflict of their cultures in all his thinking and his being.”
In Fox Creek, the conflict is between Native and white’s use of natural resources in both the U.S. and Canada. Henry Meloux, a consistent character in O’Connor books, is an ancient Ojibwe healer. When Dolores Morrison seeks out Meloux for his spiritual help, she brings dark forces with her. Henry takes her and his niece Rainy (Cork’s wife) deep into the Boundary Waters, a location he knows deeply, to keep them from the hunters searching for Delores. He uses his knowledge he gained over the last century to outmaneuver those tracking them through snowstorms, rocky terrain, bogs, and marshes. One of the hunters is a Native tracker who pits his wits against those of Henry.
Cork O’Connor begins his own quest to identify the hunters and their reasons for hunting Dolores. He goes into the Boundary Waters to track those after Henry, Dolores, and Rainy. He is supported by his family, Dolores’s family, and local police. The reasons behind the search for Dolores aren’t revealed until the end of the book. As with O’Connor’s other books, readers learn about Northern Minnesota, Ojibwe culture, and history from this story.
The book was well received by UMRA Book Club members. Everyone seemed to like the characters, particularly the wise Henry Meloux. Someone said it was the characters that held her interest.
Readers also liked the spiritual side of the story—the information on Native American culture that the author weaves into all his stories. One person commented on how the book brings you in touch with nature, and how that is missing in our lives. Most of the club members have read other books in the O’Connor series.
—Reviewed by Kathy Cramer and Rebecca Anderson, UMRA Book Club I
Book Club I in January
Fri, Jan 19 2024, 2pm
Becky Anderson will lead the discussion of Fox Creek by William Kent Krueger when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 19.
First published in 2022, this is the 19th book in Krueger’s bestselling Cork O’Connor mystery series. The story takes place almost exclusively in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota.
Fox Creek has been praised as “another gripping and richly told addition to a masterful series.”
Email Pat Tollefson for more information.
Go to Book Notes to read summaries of the book club’s discussions.
Upcoming Events
We are fortunate to have UMRA member and former Minnesota Landscape Arboretum director Peter Moe to lead this approximately 3.7-mile hike at the Arboretum on Monday, May 6. Plan to have lunch together after the hike at the Eatery café inside the Oswald Visitor Center.
This session will continue the discussion begun in the May 8, 2023 session. See that article for details.
If you currently live in your own home or apartment, have you looked ahead to when you might want to consider a senior living option? Do you have any idea what those options might be? How much they cost? What they provide? UMRA’s May 14 workshop will provide an overview of the world of senior living and the basic information you need.
You’re invited to join the final Family History Interest Group meeting for 2023–24. This will be an opportunity to ask questions related to family history, share insights, talk about recent projects, and suggest topics for next year.
Stephanie Daily will lead the discussion of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by best-selling author Mary Roach when the UMRA Book Club meets via Zoom at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 17.
The May 20 hike will start at the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater and go along the river to the new bridge, cross over and then back on the Wisconsin side, a total of approximately 5 miles. Most of the route is paved. We will eat lunch after at Brian's Bar and Grill in Stillwater. Car pooling will be available.
Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley joined the U of M faculty in 1978 and has been a weekly commentator on Minnesota Public Radio since 1992. We are honored to welcome him as our guest speaker for UMRA’s May Luncheon Forum and 2024 Annual Meeting. He is always entertaining and informative.
UMRA’s Fourth Friday Book Club welcomes back, for the second time, author Julie Schumacher, U of M Regents professor of creative writing and English, for a conversation about her novel The Shakespeare Requirement.
We are in for a treat on June 3! Lynn Anderson, will lead us on trails at two parks near her Monticello home. Bring a bag lunch and we will gather in Lynn's yard along the Mississippi River for eating and socializing after the hike.
Get out to the ballpark with fellow UMRA members for the annual U of M Day at Target Field as the Minnesota Twins take on the Oakland Athletics on June 14 at 7:10 p.m.
Please join us at 9:30 on June 17, 2024 for a walk around Lake Como in St. Paul before attending the UMRA Summer Social and Picnic starting at 11 at the Como Pavilion. A perfect opportunity to get in a walk before we gather to celebrate summer.
Picnic under the covered, open-air Como pavilion, gaze at the water, spy some birds, catch up with friends and former colleagues, and meet new members. We’ll have lunch with plenty of time for visiting and then compete in teams as we are challenged by our Quiz master(s)!
Healthy aging, mindfulness, fighting ageism, and more will be the focus of the third annual Age-Friendly University Day to be held on the U of M Twin Cities campus.