The Arbutus/Madrone Files

Book excerpt: The first book-length commentary on twentieth-century Pacific Northwest writing, The Arbutus / Madrone Files explores the dynamics of the Pacific Northwest. Laurie Ricou’s meditations are dropped into thirteen files—such as, the "Island File," the "Salmon File," and inevitably, the "Rain File." Resonant quotations, poetry, song lyrics, and art from the region enhance Ricou’s own readings, which move from an academic perspective on the narratives of bio-region toward more personal reflections on home and the local.