Mouse's Tank: The Legend Retold

by Mike Donahue

Book Overview

The Southern Paiute had lived in the harsh Mojave Desert for eons before white men moved into the area. For most of Mouse's life he had been a thorn in the side of the whites who were taking his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1932173552
• ISBN13: 9781932173550
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Stephens Pr Llc
• Length: 129 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.8" x 0.8" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

a thoughtful and moving retelling

Mouse was a Southern Paiute who lived in the late 1800s. After a few run ins with the law, he evaded the sheriff by camping out near a little known tank of water. Located in a stunningly beautiful sandstone area, the story behind Mouse's Tank has always been an interesting regional tale. Limited historical data has spawned speculation and folklore. Most anybody who has visited the Valley of Fire State Park has walked down Petroglyph Canyon and seen Mouse's Tank. With all of the unknowns surrounding the curiosity, we finally get a flushed-out telling. In "Mouse's Tank: The Legend Retold" Mike Donahue offers a fictionalized account of Mouse. As the story goes, Mouse spent time around the Mormon colony of St. Thomas. After stealing a knife, he eludes Sheriff Currie by hiding out at his tinaja in the Valley of Fire. Mouse eventually decides to take the sheriff's horse and that's when things start to go awry for the Paiute. Mike Donahue has a knack for describing the Mojave Desert. The book poetically expresses that which could only have come from years of real desert experience combined with research on the Paiute. From the moths that adorn each page to the brown colored text, this book breathes the desert. "Mouse's Tank" features very little conversation. Despite this, the author is able to keep the reader connected through Mouse's internal dialogue and actions. While the historical record can't tell us more than a few sentences about Mouse, Donahue flushes him out as a character by exploring his motivations, desires and personality. As a European-American writer, this had to be difficult but Donahue pulls it off in style. Despite probably being of the same faith as Mouse's pursuers, Donahue offers a sympathetic and noble view of Mouse. The back of the book is filled with praise by the Executive Director of the Las Vegas Indian Center and the Chairman of the Moapa Band of Paiutes. In other words, Donahue earns street cred from those who matter most. The most significant drawback to this book is the atrocious editing. Most pages are riddled with odd text spacing, double commas, text not flowing from one page to another and inconsistencies like spelling the desert 'Mojave' on one page and 'Mohave' on another. After leaving the editing to a bad computer program, Stephens Press has some making up to do with a second edition. In terms of the cover's art work, it may suggest to some that the book is friendly to young readers. While it's really and adult book, 'young adult' is the lowest possible classification given language and mature situations. While "Mouse's Tank" won't settle any historical controversies, it offers a satisfying and entertaining telling of Mouse's story. Get to know Mouse. Get to know what life was like for the Southern Paiute way back when. Get to know the Desert. Read "Mouse's Tank" and enjoy one of the colorful stories of Southern Nevada.