The Raven Steals the Light

The Raven Steals the Light is a superb gem of a book that recounts and illustrates Haida myths. It is written by Bill Reid, a Haida who is an incredibly talented artist and story teller and Robert Bringhurst, an expert on Native American literature. The intro is by noted anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss. I purchased it to help prepare me for a trip to Haida Gwaii (formerly known as British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands), home of the Haida people. These engaging stories, as many myths, are meant to be recounted orally. Reid's preface tells the reader that the myths are "a good selection of bestiality, adultery, violence, thievery and assault, for those who like that sort of thing." More than that, they are beautifully written and illustrated cultural gems that include Haida creation myths and other key cultural stories, but they are meant for adults and not for children.

I bought this as a Christmas 2020 present for my mother since, because of COVID, we couldn’t travel to the Haida Gwaii this summer. She loved the book. Her only complaint was that it wasn’t longer.

I was really impressed with the richness of Bill Reid's writing. It is full of emotion, humor and detail! The writing feels ALIVE - not enshrouding long ago stories, but bringing them vividly to life!

There's much to be learned from prehistoric belief systems and this collection of stories is just that. The need to understand the natural world around us and our place in it along with explaining the existence of consciousness in us and whether in other creatures. Well told by a fine artist.

I recently was in Haida Gwaii and heard stories from this book. A delightful experience to meet Haida people then read this book.

Perhaps the best compilation of Haida oral traditions by famous carver Bill Reid with accompanying illustrations. These are stories written to be heard out loud.

I purchased this book to read with my grandsons on a trip to Alaska. The first two stories explaining how stars and the moon came to the heavens and how lakes and creeks were created was exactly what I wanted. But...other stories about Raven are, in my opinion, too sexual for a younger audience.

was for a college class enjoyed how the stories was told

This is a marvellous little book - a collection of traditional Native American Trickster tales, beautifully told and stunningly illustrated.

Brilliant

Awesome story bookRead to us by guides at Coast Mountain Expeditions kayak trip, last summer 2019. T’was a little extra “seasoning “.Was worth buying to read to my granddaughter

Great read.

Love all the stories in it.