Helpful Score: 2
Wallace Stegner is in true form with his novel...a master of literature, and a well-told story. I was mesmerized from page 1.
Helpful Score: 1
He was a consummate writer--this book has very very well developed characters, plot and descriptions of everything if you slow down long enough to really really read them, are wonderful. Found myself going back pages when I was reading too fast because I realized I was missing the whole, round 'sense' of a scene he set up with incredible descriptions that made you feel like you were right there. The subtlety of how deeply he understood each of the characters was impressive.
Wallace Stegner at his best.
well-written saga of a couple and their children. spans two generations and two countries.
Been reading things I missed when they first appeared. Enjoyed this style of writing.
I rarely give any book a 5 star review, but this was very welw written, a great story, and by far, my favorite book by this author. Covers more than 30 years in the life of the Maston family in this masterful saga of people trying to survive during the Depression.
From the back cover: "A restless, violent adventurer lured by golden dreams, roaming the vanished frontier from Nevada to Saskatchewan...crony of banker, broker, bootlegger, and pimp...a man of towering rages and warmth, with elusive visions of sudden wealth...above all a man, even in humilitation and defeat!"
"Powerful...a harrowing saga...Mr. Stegner has felt the spell of mountains and prairies, of drought, flood, and blizzard; he can write of moving accidents and hair-breadth escapes that give us the feel of frontier life. Perhaps the most intensely interesting passages are those that describe the rum-running drives of Bo Mason over treacherous back roads in peril from weather, law and hijackers."-THE NEW YORK TIMES
"Powerful...a harrowing saga...Mr. Stegner has felt the spell of mountains and prairies, of drought, flood, and blizzard; he can write of moving accidents and hair-breadth escapes that give us the feel of frontier life. Perhaps the most intensely interesting passages are those that describe the rum-running drives of Bo Mason over treacherous back roads in peril from weather, law and hijackers."-THE NEW YORK TIMES