Winner of the PEN/Josephine Miles Award and nominated for the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Medicine River is a great introduction to Thomas Kings humorous fiction. Its the story of Will, a mixed-blood man of Blackfoot descent and a marginally successful Toronto photographer, who has returned to the reserve for his mothers funeral. Will isnt planning on staying in Medicine River, but his old friend Harlen Bigbear has other plans for him. In a unique brand of community planning, Harlen sets out to sell Will on the idea of returning to Medicine River as the towns only Native photographer, and manages to convince him to at least give it a try. Will feels alienated from his friends and family, but the ever-engaging Harlan has an answer for everything.