The explanation of this lies in the wretchedly dependent state of native authorship at that time. The law of copyright had not then attained to even the refined injustice which it has now reached. "I continue," he wrote, in 1844, "to scribble tales with good success so far as regards empty praise, some notes of which, pleasant enough to my ears, have come from across the Atlantic. But the pamphlet and piratical system has so broken up all regular literature, that I am forced to work hard for small gains."

 And Shahrazad saw the dawn of day and stopped her storytelling.
Then Dunyazad said, “My sister, how pleasant your tale is, and how
tasteful, how sweet, how generous!” Shahrazad replied, “And what is this
compared to what I could tell you in the night to come, if I live and if
the king spare me?” The king thought, “By Allah, I shall not kill her
until I hear the rest of her tale, for it is truly wonderful.” So they rested
that night in mutual embrace until the dawn. After this, the king went
to his court, and the minister and the troops came in and the court was
crowded. The king gave orders and judged and appointed and deposed,
bidding and forbidding during the rest of the day. Then the council broke
up, and the king entered his palace. When it was the third night, and the
king had had his will of Shahrazad, Dunyazad, her sister, said to her,
“Finish for us that tale of yours,” and Shahrazad continued her story. . . .1

A Deeper Sleep - [15] Kate Shugak mystery by Dana Stabenow

This is the latest Dana Stabenow novel featuring Kate Shugak, the Aleutian detective. All the elements that have made the author's signature Kate Shugak crime series successful shine in this 15th entry (after 2004's A Taint in the Blood): Kate's personal growth as a woman and as an investigator; the Alaskan environment in all its unforgiving beauty; and a mystery whose solution remains in doubt until the end. The story opens with a brutal murder. The culprit, Louis Deem, who has managed to avoid justice for past crimes, is so odious that his presence is a cancer in the little Niniltna community Kate calls home. Stabenow's rich cast of supporting characters include natives and longtime settlers as well as those newcomers so unprepared that Kate refers to them as committing "suicide by Alaska." There is rough humor, a rich heritage of the community necessary for survival, and at the same time a remarkable tolerance for the many idiosyncrasies of those attracted to the harsh realities of Alaskan life. Kate Shugak is becoming a leader among her people and is already a leader in the sorority of women detectives.

AUDIO NEEDED!!!

A Grave Denied - [13] A Kate Shugak mystery by Dana Sabenow

Stabenow relaxes and lets us have fun with Kate. At times, the novel's style made me think I was reading a cozy. The author finds humor in Kate's new parenting role, as she learns how to cope with a teenager she has inherited from previous novels. Some of the best scenes involve Kate's relationship with her dog, Mutt, a part-wolf who seems to read Kate's mind. As usual, the cast of characters holds our attention, with tiny subplots: Kate's best friend gets a visit from a (deliberately) long-lost brother and fourteen-year-old Johnny remains determined to stay with Kate, rather than his blood relatives. The endings seem realistic, not at all contrived.

AUDIO NEEDED!!!