Reviews

Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston

tloring's review against another edition

5.0

This is a very powerful memoir that is a collection of essays centered around a ranch the author purchased some 20-25 years ago from the time of the publication of this book. Her observational skills, and the contagiously depicted love and compassion for the environs surrounding the location of the ranch, her animals, and the natural wonders that make up the landscape of this property high up in southwestern Colorado certainly grabbed ahold of me. The "ranch almanacs" were particularly entertaining with descriptions and events of and concerning the ranch animals, wildlife, and other human residents in the area and in the nearest town to the ranch, Creede. This woman can write.

allyson_e's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

hi_marcy's review against another edition

2.0

I think something has recently shifted in me where I am distinctly less tolerant of women writers who describe raw circumstances of brutality and heartache and can't manage to find a way to write about their experience in a way to include very human and normal anger (and anger that is not merely implied by way of describing the of downing multiple bottles of white wine at a frigid social gathering... something thankfully avoided here). Does the cultural pressure on women to not be angry lead to an inability to recognize the feeling when it is present? An unwillingness to describe it and own it in public because they are unable to take the risk of being unfavorably perceived? 

Sometimes, a vast and ambivalent and unyielding landscape is the only thing that seems to be able mirror your inner landscape back to you. And, though her descriptions of the landscape left me feeling extremely homesick for the West, I suspect she was also too cut off from the aspects of nature that are infinite in their indifference to correlate it to (perhaps) the reason why this part of CO specifically called to her (and why she could never really immerse herself in it permanently). Instead, the narrative became a Cheryl Strayed-ification that seemed totally misaligned when held up to the light of the descriptions of the total barbarism she experienced at points throughout her life. 

To formulate a life equation of: long-term brutality + turning 30ish + $30,000 of therapy (which is only ~18mos, let's be real) = living in communion with nature while never once getting deeply pissed at anyone or anything when it would have been totally reasonable to do so just seems glaringly dishonest

katiecentabar's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

4.25

It really was a 5 star until a 60-page play-by-play novella about a forest fire which started as fascinating and devolved into annoying for me. But this is an incredibly soulful and beautiful elegy for the earth and all those who call it home. Pam Houston has Lived

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Child abuse

ralphiereads76's review against another edition

3.0

"In both writing and teaching, nothing is ever finished, only finished enough to let go."

I loved reading about Houston's life as a writer on a ranch outside Creede, CO, a place dear to me, as well. The first half of the book was better than the second.

bespoke_stokes's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

carareadsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

5.0

A powerfully, beautifully written memoir that reminds you of the stunning, breathtaking joy to be found in connecting with nature.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Animal death

megaburrito's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

4.25

I appreciated this book so much. It's deeply honest and filled with love with kind strangers and wonderful animals. Houston's voice feels like an old friend and I'll be picking up more of her books soon. My favorite chapter had to be the one about Martha Washington. She sounded like a wonderful person and you can hear Houston's pride when writing about her. 

lisaschmizza's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

daschneider's review against another edition

adventurous funny hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

So many wonderful stories of the author’s discovery, purchase, and habitation of a wonderful ranch at 9000 feet in Colorado. She grapples with the consequences of climate change but with great attention to the wonder of nature and her continued hope in the face of it. She recounts a terrible childhood-more terrible than anything I’ve heard and I was a rape crisis worker but covers it in just a few paragraphs-so be aware. She has a great sense of generosity, appreciate, and gratefulness and is a delight to read.