Set in the near future in the fishing village of Kuinak, Alaska, a remnant outpost of the American frontier not yet completely overcome by environmental havoc and mad-dog development, Sailor Song is a wild, rollicking novel, a dark and cosmic romp.

The town and its denizens — colorful refugees from the Lower Forty-Eight and Descendants of Early Aboriginal People — are seduced and besieged by a Hollywood crew, come to film the classic children's book The Sea Lion. The ensuing turf war escalates into a struggle for the soul of the town as the novel spins and swirls toward a harrowing climax.

Kesey has given us a unique and powerful novel about America, and this epic tale of the north is a vibrant moral fable for our time.