May 2, 2005
Angle of Repose
Wallace Stegner. Penguin: 1971.
A sad, hopeful, and beautiful book about a paralyzed man writing a 'biographical novel' about his grandparents - discovering the truth about them & himself along the way.
As corny as it sounds, this is actually a powerful book. Most of it are chapters from the narrator's book-in-progress about how his parents tried to conquer & tame the West, but are eventually defeated - and only survive because of his grandmother's art and stories that she sells to the East Coast.
Even though Lyman (the narrator) pokes fun at Susan's (grandma) over-developed sense of "local color", this book oozes it, and it is for the most part exquisitively written.
Much of the action occurs along romance-novel lines (such as one Susan writes and Lyman belittles), yes the significance of Susan's, Lyman's, and Lyman's young assistance's reactions and interpretations give the book a hearty substance.
Wallace Stegner. Penguin: 1971.
A sad, hopeful, and beautiful book about a paralyzed man writing a 'biographical novel' about his grandparents - discovering the truth about them & himself along the way.
As corny as it sounds, this is actually a powerful book. Most of it are chapters from the narrator's book-in-progress about how his parents tried to conquer & tame the West, but are eventually defeated - and only survive because of his grandmother's art and stories that she sells to the East Coast.
Even though Lyman (the narrator) pokes fun at Susan's (grandma) over-developed sense of "local color", this book oozes it, and it is for the most part exquisitively written.
Much of the action occurs along romance-novel lines (such as one Susan writes and Lyman belittles), yes the significance of Susan's, Lyman's, and Lyman's young assistance's reactions and interpretations give the book a hearty substance.
Labels: literature
posted by Scott Givens at 10:24 AM
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