Coyote Heart: Second Edition

by Paula Margulies

Book Overview

Coyote Heart tells the story of Carolyn Weedman, a forty-year-old librarian trapped in a troubled marriage with a disabled husband. After a chance encounter with a widowed Pala Indian professor,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0991354508
• ISBN13: 9780991354504
• Release Date: January 2014
• Publisher: One People Press
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Struggles of the Heart

In Paula Margulies's Coyote Heart, set in San Diego, near the Pala Reservation, I was reminded of the opening line in Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina: "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." And, that is certainly true of Carolyn Weedman's family. She finds herself in a predicament, having momentarily fallen out of love with her husband, Everett, and in love with Roy Washburn, a Native American Indian. The meeting between Carolyn and Roy - when Carolyn just outside the library entrance, turns into the driveway and accidentally hits a dog - is portrayed innocently and gracefully, but leads the reader to confront the near dissolution of a family and its consequences. The lost dog recovers and Roy agree to adopt it, providing Carolyn with the opportunity to meet for a second time at Roy's house on the reservation. As Carolyn and Roy's relationship develops and blossoms, despite the objections of Roy's son, Luke, Margulies skillfully illuminates the internal and external conflicts that rise up and leads the reader to an exciting and bittersweet resolution, one that is filled with hope and tears, as is often the case in life. I am more than a little fascinated by Marguiles's description of the diversity of horticulture and wild life that habitat the desert and canyons of Southern California, her knowledge of Native American culture and myths, and her delving into the text of the Luiseno language, which is expertly translated into English. Coyote Heart is an excellent story - one that you shall remember, and wish to read, again and again, like Anna Karenina.

What a wonderful read!

This book was a really wonderful read! A love story - actually, more than one - that felt real, not idealized. A setting that was familiar and yet new. The mystic element was intriguing, immediate, and approachable. A great read for those interested in real relationships, romance, heartbreak, discovery and loss, and the oldest of San Diego history.Coyote Heart

Poetry in prose.

Wonderful poetical prose. I had to pace myself as I read this first book by author Paula Margulies, as I vacillated between the urge to race through the pages to learn what happened next, and the urge to linger over each poetically charged descriptive word. The tension between these two urges is the hallmark of inspired storytelling and superb craft. Amidst this lush prose landscape Margulies unveils a cast of challenging characters struggling to make sense out of the difficult circumstances of each of their lives. Their actions, or inaction, naturally arise from who they are, although at times I wished they might have acted differently towards one another, within the context of their personalities and circumstances.

Haunting Tale

Perfectly exquisite writing! A haunting tale right from the very beginning when we see the cayote prowling the property. This is a heart-breaking story told with sensitivity. It reminded me of Bridges of Madison County.

A heartfelt and wonderful debut

Next time you run over a dog with your car, you just might meet an intelligent Pala Indian man who invites you into his home and his heart while you have to guiltily choose between your handicapped husband and the freshness of new romance. At least that's what happens in Paula Margulies's excellent debut novel, Coyote Heart. Yes, there is guilt, but Coyote Heart is a story of bravery, too. Margulies's prose is elegant, even hypnotic, and San Diego readers will enjoy seeing local landmarks mentioned by name as well as glimpses into Pala reservation life. The writing has echoes of Annie Proulx and Jodi Picoult.