Scan barcode
jennyyates's review against another edition
3.0
There’s not much plot, but I mostly enjoyed this novel. It follows Bob Dollar, a young man who’s employed by a big company to find sites for new hog farms in the Texas panhandle. He has to disguise his purpose, since hog farms are smelly, disgusting and unhealthy. He’s told to go to a likely area and get to know everybody, and find out who might be willing to sell.
Bob isn’t good at selling, but he is very good at getting to know everybody. He’s a history buff, so he learns all he can about Woolybucket, Texas – its past and its present. The novel just moseys along, detailing the lives and histories of these ranchers and townspeople. We learn a lot about windmills.
It’s often charming and funny, without ever being sentimental. Annie Proulx outdoes herself choosing names for her characters - Tater Crouch, Sidney Harshberger, Freda Beautyrooms, Ribye Cluke, Wally Ooly, Hugh Dough, Ad Slauter, Jim Skin, etc. Although Bob gets into a few scrapes, nothing much happens until the end, when the plot thickens enough to be satisfying.
Bob isn’t good at selling, but he is very good at getting to know everybody. He’s a history buff, so he learns all he can about Woolybucket, Texas – its past and its present. The novel just moseys along, detailing the lives and histories of these ranchers and townspeople. We learn a lot about windmills.
It’s often charming and funny, without ever being sentimental. Annie Proulx outdoes herself choosing names for her characters - Tater Crouch, Sidney Harshberger, Freda Beautyrooms, Ribye Cluke, Wally Ooly, Hugh Dough, Ad Slauter, Jim Skin, etc. Although Bob gets into a few scrapes, nothing much happens until the end, when the plot thickens enough to be satisfying.
veronicafrance's review against another edition
4.0
A reread ... I first read this book in 2004. This is what I wrote then:
***
This is a strange sort of book (but what else would you expect from the author of The Shipping News?). It's billed as a novel, but it doesn't have a plot to speak of, and its "hero" really just serves as an observer of other people's actions.
It's set in the Texas panhandle, where young innocent Bob Dollar has been sent to scout out land for hog farms for Global Pork Rind Inc. Since hog farms are not popular he has to keep his real intentions a secret and invent a cover story while he tries to get friendly with the locals and outwit competing hog farm scouts. Living in an old bunkouse on a ranch and helping out in the Old Dog Café, befriending a steer-roping priest, drinking tea with the ladies' quilting circle, Bob soon starts to go native and forget his mission, much to the annoyance of his bosses.
It reminded me most of Jonathan Raban's travelogues with its lyrical description of landscape, sharp but sympathetic observation of character, and Bob's own musings on the meaning of his life. The long list of acknowledgements to people Proulx talked to on her travels to research the novel only reinforce this impression -- Bob is standing in for Proulx herself.
It's not as extravagant as The Shipping News, but it is irresistibly charming and beautifully written. Incidentally, I was surprised to discover that Proulx wrote her first novel at the age of 56 (and won the Pulitzer with her second) -- hence she was in her mid-60s when she wrote this. Her originality and inventiveness make her seem much younger.
***
My thoughts haven't really changed. I'd add my admiration of Proulx's skill in disguising a well-researched travelogue/social history as a novel and retaining the reader's interest throughout. And we enjoyed her vivid, witty descriptions of people and places. Plus the best cowboy joke ever; it had stuck in my mind from the first time I read it, but I'd forgotten the punchline.
***
This is a strange sort of book (but what else would you expect from the author of The Shipping News?). It's billed as a novel, but it doesn't have a plot to speak of, and its "hero" really just serves as an observer of other people's actions.
It's set in the Texas panhandle, where young innocent Bob Dollar has been sent to scout out land for hog farms for Global Pork Rind Inc. Since hog farms are not popular he has to keep his real intentions a secret and invent a cover story while he tries to get friendly with the locals and outwit competing hog farm scouts. Living in an old bunkouse on a ranch and helping out in the Old Dog Café, befriending a steer-roping priest, drinking tea with the ladies' quilting circle, Bob soon starts to go native and forget his mission, much to the annoyance of his bosses.
It reminded me most of Jonathan Raban's travelogues with its lyrical description of landscape, sharp but sympathetic observation of character, and Bob's own musings on the meaning of his life. The long list of acknowledgements to people Proulx talked to on her travels to research the novel only reinforce this impression -- Bob is standing in for Proulx herself.
It's not as extravagant as The Shipping News, but it is irresistibly charming and beautifully written. Incidentally, I was surprised to discover that Proulx wrote her first novel at the age of 56 (and won the Pulitzer with her second) -- hence she was in her mid-60s when she wrote this. Her originality and inventiveness make her seem much younger.
***
My thoughts haven't really changed. I'd add my admiration of Proulx's skill in disguising a well-researched travelogue/social history as a novel and retaining the reader's interest throughout. And we enjoyed her vivid, witty descriptions of people and places. Plus the best cowboy joke ever; it had stuck in my mind from the first time I read it, but I'd forgotten the punchline.
cemistry101's review
4.0
This is sweet. A quaintly uplifting read for the eighth month of a global pandemic.
agenender's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting. Very little plot, but really wonderful characters. The main character is a fairly useless guy who takes a job as a "scout" for a hog farm group. He's supposed to get to go to the Texas panhandle and find people who will sell their land for use as a hog farm. Since everyone is hostile to hog farming (pollution and horrible smells), he pretends to be a real estate developer and gets to know the people in Woolybucket, TX. The people in the town are great with funny backstories. It's pretty slow, but I liked it. Not sure it would be as enjoyable if you don't have at least a passing familiarity with the panhandle.
farmpaws's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
First time reading one of Prolux’s long form works. This book really is about the journey, not the destination, and I loved her descriptions of the panhandle and the people in it. She is a master at weaving fascinating stories in places where most others would overlook.
This is an excellent book to read slowly and enjoy.
This is an excellent book to read slowly and enjoy.
paperfig's review against another edition
4.0
For me, Annie Proulx doesn't disappoint, she is one of my favorite authors and I finished this book feeling no different. I even love the over the top hokey character names, they just fit with what I love about her. The character development, small consistent details and immersion into the landscape and history are things I truly enjoy in her books.
algrenfan's review against another edition
3.0
Just gave this book to my step-mother-in-law. She grew up on rural Oklahoma. I think my love for the book would be enhanced with some experiences in the panhandle region. Funny, funny story. Bob Dollar needed a bit more meat on his character, but in many ways this book reminded me of a regional geographical study more than a novel.
dr_dick's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it! Loads of wacky characters, great storytelling, excellent writing.
brandidean's review against another edition
4.0
This was a slow read, but a good one. Not nearly as good as The Shipping News, but it had some very funny parts and I liked the small town-ness of it.
kristianawithak's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't expect to like this, but I quickly fell in love with the characters and the story. The book had the feel of an oral history, everyone having a different take on events, contradicting one another.
I thought the book was going to end of a cheesy yay Old Town America kick, but I don't think it did. It can be interpreted that way, and was, but I think there was a definite feel of idealism and whether that is good or not, do you believe in something and have hope, or do you lose all hope and believe in nothing. Annie Proulx did a great job and I really enjoyed it.
The idea of using up your resources and throwing them away was well handled and is a little depressing if you give it too much thought, but also beautifully handled. Were the people of Woolybucket any better than the Pork Grind Company? They too drained their land of resources (water) for their own purposes.
I thought the book was going to end of a cheesy yay Old Town America kick, but I don't think it did. It can be interpreted that way, and was, but I think there was a definite feel of idealism and whether that is good or not, do you believe in something and have hope, or do you lose all hope and believe in nothing. Annie Proulx did a great job and I really enjoyed it.
The idea of using up your resources and throwing them away was well handled and is a little depressing if you give it too much thought, but also beautifully handled. Were the people of Woolybucket any better than the Pork Grind Company? They too drained their land of resources (water) for their own purposes.