"Sons of the River is a stunning introduction to the psychological meaning of rural Nebraska. Every geography emanates from within its own peculiar power of place. The essence of the Elkhorn Valley in northeastern Nebraska is captured in this book. Rooted in the memory of a young boy, Sons of the River recounts the founding, growth and decline of Ewing in the Elkhorn Valley. But it's not so much a history as an elegiac prose poem, for farm and ranch life in the Sand Hills of Nebraska has long lost its rustic charm. This book is more than a memoir. Like all art, it halts the ravages of time. A...