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I picked up a book on a whim at the library several weeks ago, I just needed something to read, mainly a few pages before I fall asleep whether on week nights or during the weekend when I need to decompress. Browsing in the library I don't always find the greatest read, sometimes it's just what will do for a week or so. I don't like to be without a book. So I checked out The Forest Lover by Susan Vreeland.  I've read a few of Vreeland's books but I wouldn't say I'm a fan, but I know she's readable.

I hadn't heard of Emily Carr , the forest lover in the title, before and I found myself  very attracted to her spirit, her determination and her love of nature and Native Americans.

I also didn't know much about totem poles and how incredibly important and complex they were to the Native Americans tribes. Vreeland  describes potlatches too, in great detail and I remember a discussion here a while ago concerning those. Fascinating. The book isn't illustrated so I looked up her paintings and  my jaw dropped. They're incredible.  It's fantastic to discover art this way.

Here's a brief bio of Emily Carr and links to several paintings if you're interested. The one below is called Big Raven.