"In this powerful collection, W. A. Polf explores the complex worlds of everyday lives. His characters, often on the brink of loss—of a relationship, a parent, their own innocence—are soon forced to confront, and confess, secret parts of themselves. As one says, “[We] need to tell stories about it, even if the stories aren’t true.” Whether it’s lore about a town’s history, the mythology we build around family, or finally giving voice to a forgotten past, Not the Same River poignantly finds redemption through the healing act of storytelling itself"

“The American short story is alive and well as exemplified in the superb book, Not the Same River. In fifteen stories, Polf, a gifted writer of this challenging genre, takes the reader to many locations where the protagonists face and react to unexpected and demanding situations that challenge the core of their existence. A good read, highly recommended.”

"Each gem in this collection is tightly written, evocative and entertaining. The characters are believable, the varied settings recognizable yet still intriguing, and in several stories, dilemmas in the plot lead to moving and dramatic endings. Anyone who enjoys short fiction will love these stories."

“Transcending spatial and temporal isolation, the characters of W.A. Polf’s Not the Same River wander disparate paths toward a common crossroads, confronting personal demons, loneliness, and lingering past influences in their mutual struggle for meaning amidst heightening unfamiliarity. Evocative and engaging, these insightful, stylishly crafted tales of altered perception and awareness flow unpredictably across a knife’s edge, probing a symbolic domain of consequential determination."