Awesome novel, no wonder it is a Pulitzer Prize winner! ( )

On my to-read list for too many decades, this novel proved richly worth the wait: I enjoyed and admired it from start to finish. The main story, of a woman whose marriage requires her to move to a series of mining outposts in the American West, is intriguing and affecting. The writing is superb, in my experience absolutely top-drawer fiction. ( )

Make no mistake, the actually writing in this book is five stars all the way. It's as though each sentence was crafted with more love than the next. I could absolutely re-read this and never tire of it in the same way you can look at the Mona Lisa and never tire of it.

However, it is slow moving, and I had to deduct a star for that. I think plenty of people would find it hard to finish. But if you love literary fiction, then YES, this one should be on your list.

The story is about a wheelchair bound writer who is researching and relating the story of his grandparents' relationship. His grandmother was a well bred northeasterner, a person steeped in arts and culture. His grandfather was an engineer trying to make his way in the West. The relationship is fraught with both deep, deep love and tension, and the slow build of the book works in favor of the reader's ultimate understanding of how one decision can pivot a life.

Just a forewarning, the book is not totally satisfying in the sense that Stegner never spoon feeds the reader. So, in the end, I felt the reader was left to draw some of their own conclusions . . .which some readers may enjoy (I did), but some may not. I think it would have been great to read this book with others for that reason.

If you write, or just appreciate an author who can use words to paint a picture while having you hang on each one . . .Stegner is a must. A book to be savored. ( )

El historiador Lyman Ward, ya retirado de sus tareas docentes, se propone investigar la memorable historia de sus abuelos: una pareja de la alta sociedad de la costa Este que en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX abandona el lugar en el que ambos habían crecido para instalarse en California, cuando este era un territorio aún por civilizar. Conforme va profundizando en los recuerdos de su familia, Lyman Ward se da cuenta de la intensidad con la que el pasado ayuda a iluminar y comprender el presente.

A study in contrast and the human condition during the late 1800's, Stegner has constructed a remarkable story about his grandparents. Unlike most 'old west' stories, we learn of elements of the West we don't typically encounter. The style is immersive due to the copious letters written between his grandmother and her best friend in the East, along with emotional elements. We flip flop back and forth to the 1970's while the grandson, Lyman Ward, is researching, something he's passionate about as a retired history professor. Stegner's style is consistent with many Pulitzer winners and marks the talent of a master storyteller. This is a beautiful story and one worth adding to your list. ( )