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caitpaige's review
5.0
It's a little hard to explain why I liked this book so much, but I really really did. It is sedate, comfortable, and touching. As a historian and genealogy-dabbler, it speaks to the history and story of people and family that are very familiar to me. As a 4th generations Californian, it's an interesting glimpse at western settlement and the lives of those who shaped the west; people who could have easily been my own family. Stegner also writes beautifully and there are some very thoughtful and poetic passages that made the whole book a pleasure to read.
susanbrooks's review
3.0
Astonishingly well-written epic story of a man researching his grandparents' lives and marriage in the American West in the late 1800's.
Indelible descriptions of the West and wonderful writing; but I feel strong liking not love for this book.
Indelible descriptions of the West and wonderful writing; but I feel strong liking not love for this book.
retharogo25's review
5.0
Stegner may be my favorite overall author. And this is my favorite of his novels. This is definitely in my 5 books to be stranded on a desert island with.
joylesnick's review
4.0
I picked this book in preparation for a vacation "out west." The descriptive prose was phenomenal, and it's only because I feel like there's something missing in the plot (I can't figure out what) that I'm sticking with 4 stars. Still loved it.
ginnysgirl's review
5.0
As my friend Noel would say "This is literature". One of the few books that I think the word Epic should be used. Stegner is one of my favorite authors and he truly makes good writing seem effortless. Indulge in good, epic literature.
scubabikegirl's review
2.0
I know it's an award winner and there was some amazing writing here, but I just could not wait to be finished with it!
amyheap's review
4.0
Having absolutely loved Crossing to Safety, I had high expectations of Angle of Repose. Lyman Ward, an aging, recently disabled historian, returns to the house he grew up in with his grandparents and starts to put together the story of his grandmother. A refined, artistic woman from the East coast, she married a quiet engineer, whose career took him to the wild west, in search of elusive success. The hope, love , disappointment and failure are palpable, and the rugged, harsh landscapes reflect the difficulties in their relationship. The book is, of course, beautifully, powerfully written, and while I didn't love the setting and characters as much as those of Crossing to Safety, and found it slow going at times, I couldn't help but be moved by this journey.
bobkat's review
4.0
An example of exquisite writing and use of framing (story-within-a-story). I was a bit baffled by the narrator's ending, but I didn't dislike it.
steveab's review
4.0
Angle of Repose moves at a steady, unhurried pace through the emerging American West of the late nineteenth century. It moves seamlessly back and forth in a complicated structure. Its retired historial first person narrator Lyman Ward, confined to a wheel chair and in constant pain, sets out to research and tell the story of his grandparents, mostly his grandmother, struggling through the creation of the modern West. The book slips from Lyman Ward's recounting his daily life writing the book, his first person commentary on his research, third person novel, and grandmother Susan Burling Ward's deeply personal letters to her friend back East. Angle of Repose the novel tells the story of the writing of the biography, also to be called Angle of Repose. (Kind of literary equivalent of "recursion" in computer science.)
Because of the reseaarch perspective, and the backdrop of real people and events, I had to regularly remind myself that I was reading fiction, not history. The book has multiple layers of discovery, of the West, mining, water, new towns, travel, hard geography. It also has Susan's discovery of herself, her marriage, her struggles with an unexpectedly hard life and thwarted dreams, and through that Lyman Ward's discoveries about himself. The end of the book brings all these things together in a rich and unsettling way that I suspect will stay with me for a while.
Having written the book way back in 1971, the narrator, apparently like the author at the end of his career, had grouchy troubles with the counter-culture of the time. My own generation gets represented by Lyman's college student research assistant, Shelly. Kind of fun and also a time warp. Also made me wonder what went on about that in the selection of the book for the Pulitzer Prize. Linda always encourages me to read more history, or historical fiction, and kind of like stoic Lyman, I can see the point.
I found the latter part of the book unexpected from where it started. The wonderful writing and weaving back and forth ultimately carries the book. I can imagine reading it again someday. Linda always encourages me to read more history, or historical fiction, and kind of like stoic Lyman, and with a powerful novel like this one, I can see the point.
Because of the reseaarch perspective, and the backdrop of real people and events, I had to regularly remind myself that I was reading fiction, not history. The book has multiple layers of discovery, of the West, mining, water, new towns, travel, hard geography. It also has Susan's discovery of herself, her marriage, her struggles with an unexpectedly hard life and thwarted dreams, and through that Lyman Ward's discoveries about himself. The end of the book brings all these things together in a rich and unsettling way that I suspect will stay with me for a while.
Having written the book way back in 1971, the narrator, apparently like the author at the end of his career, had grouchy troubles with the counter-culture of the time. My own generation gets represented by Lyman's college student research assistant, Shelly. Kind of fun and also a time warp. Also made me wonder what went on about that in the selection of the book for the Pulitzer Prize. Linda always encourages me to read more history, or historical fiction, and kind of like stoic Lyman, I can see the point.
I found the latter part of the book unexpected from where it started. The wonderful writing and weaving back and forth ultimately carries the book. I can imagine reading it again someday. Linda always encourages me to read more history, or historical fiction, and kind of like stoic Lyman, and with a powerful novel like this one, I can see the point.