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_ottavia_'s review against another edition
4.0
''Questa è la storia di Colton H. Bryant e della terra che l'ha allevato. E, trattandosi del Wyoming, questa storia è un western. Ma, come tutti i western, questa storia è una tragedia prima ancora di cominciare perché qui le avversità non hanno mai lasciato scampo. Inutile negare che gli altipiani del Wyoming sono come l'alto mare: riducono alla fame, avari nel difendere la vita, prodighi nel riprendersela.''
Con mio padre stiamo guardando un ciclo di western, tra film che lui ha visto anni fa e si ricorda poco e film scoperti da me che entrambi vediamo per la prima volta. Quale lettura migliore per accompagnare questi film di Alexandra Fuller? Del suo libro avevo sentito parlare, e letto una bellissima recensione, anni fa e mi ero sempre ripromessa di leggerlo, quando si fosse presentata l'occasione. E finalmente è arrivata l'occasione e iniziato il libro l'ho finito in due giorni, cosa che a essere sincera non mi succedeva da molto. La storia è un western, una biografia di Colton H. Bryant, vero cowboy del Wyoming, dall'adolescenza all'età adulta, dalle avventure a cavallo tra i monti al matrimonio e al lavoro nell'estrazione petrolifera. Verso metà libro al western, che poi è western nel senso più puro, di ambientazione nell'Ovest e di dominio incontrastato della natura contro cui gli uomini poco possono e alla fin fine poco provano a fare, diventa anche critica sociale. Critica delle società petrolifere, che sfruttano quelle terre e i loro abitanti, complici la povertà e la scarsità di lavoro, se non nell'estrazione di gas e petrolio, di cui Stati come il Wyoming sono ricchissimi.
Il tutto raccontato benissimo da Alexandra Fuller, con una scrittura travolgente e poetica, che trascina il lettore lungo la storia, nel mezzo del gelo e del vento del Wyoming.
Peccato che della Fuller sia stata tradotta solo un'altra opera in Italia, spero che alla cosa venga presto posto rimedio.
Con mio padre stiamo guardando un ciclo di western, tra film che lui ha visto anni fa e si ricorda poco e film scoperti da me che entrambi vediamo per la prima volta. Quale lettura migliore per accompagnare questi film di Alexandra Fuller? Del suo libro avevo sentito parlare, e letto una bellissima recensione, anni fa e mi ero sempre ripromessa di leggerlo, quando si fosse presentata l'occasione. E finalmente è arrivata l'occasione e iniziato il libro l'ho finito in due giorni, cosa che a essere sincera non mi succedeva da molto. La storia è un western, una biografia di Colton H. Bryant, vero cowboy del Wyoming, dall'adolescenza all'età adulta, dalle avventure a cavallo tra i monti al matrimonio e al lavoro nell'estrazione petrolifera. Verso metà libro al western, che poi è western nel senso più puro, di ambientazione nell'Ovest e di dominio incontrastato della natura contro cui gli uomini poco possono e alla fin fine poco provano a fare, diventa anche critica sociale. Critica delle società petrolifere, che sfruttano quelle terre e i loro abitanti, complici la povertà e la scarsità di lavoro, se non nell'estrazione di gas e petrolio, di cui Stati come il Wyoming sono ricchissimi.
Il tutto raccontato benissimo da Alexandra Fuller, con una scrittura travolgente e poetica, che trascina il lettore lungo la storia, nel mezzo del gelo e del vento del Wyoming.
Peccato che della Fuller sia stata tradotta solo un'altra opera in Italia, spero che alla cosa venga presto posto rimedio.
luckycharms2304's review against another edition
3.0
This book was assigned reading for one of my classes for Wyoming history. I did enjoy the book. I think it’s a good example of life in Wyoming for a lot of oilfield workers. The authors does a good job showing the importance of family and the dangers of working on a rig.
sonia_reppe's review against another edition
2.0
In this non-fiction novel, Fuller somberly tells the story of an unsung American hero, Colton H.Bryant, a young oil drill rig worker; one of many who support this country's oil industry, thereby providing much of the country's wealth. You might call this a true crime novel—the crime being capitalist greed and unfair treatment of workers; or you might call it a modern western for all the broad sweeping Wyoming landscapes, and the timeless struggle of its inhabitants ("who appear as tiny dots against the great swell of land") to work and prosper.
Getting into this book was really slow for me. It was kind of like watching a boring documentary...There is no plot focus at first, just short snippets of people and scenery. Also, I thought the writing was pretentious. We are told Colton's walk was "like he had never really found the difference between sky and earth." Another sentence was about a wild mare "tossing its head in serpentines of willfullness." I thought, why not: "willfully tossed its head in snake-like motions"? This is not to pick on someone's style—I'm just giving examples of why I didn't love this book. I stuck with it because my friend liked it, and the chapters are short.
I was indifferent to Colton's character for the first half of the book. This is a boy who "put ketchup on his ketchup" and almost froze himself to death—twice. Things pick up when his horse runs away and he searches for her everyday; but mainly I just thought he was a goofball.
What saved this book for me is that Colton grew as a person, into a responsible husband and father. I liked this last third of the book, and also the descriptions of the weather that takes on a life of its own; but I can't give it three stars because the first half annoyed me so much. It took me six weeks to read this because I could only take so much of it at one time. Even so, I have to admit that Fuller is a good and effective writer. Even though her writing don't get an approving "Whee-haw" out of me, it got the job done.
Getting into this book was really slow for me. It was kind of like watching a boring documentary...There is no plot focus at first, just short snippets of people and scenery. Also, I thought the writing was pretentious. We are told Colton's walk was "like he had never really found the difference between sky and earth." Another sentence was about a wild mare "tossing its head in serpentines of willfullness." I thought, why not: "willfully tossed its head in snake-like motions"? This is not to pick on someone's style—I'm just giving examples of why I didn't love this book. I stuck with it because my friend liked it, and the chapters are short.
I was indifferent to Colton's character for the first half of the book. This is a boy who "put ketchup on his ketchup" and almost froze himself to death—twice. Things pick up when his horse runs away and he searches for her everyday; but mainly I just thought he was a goofball.
What saved this book for me is that Colton grew as a person, into a responsible husband and father. I liked this last third of the book, and also the descriptions of the weather that takes on a life of its own; but I can't give it three stars because the first half annoyed me so much. It took me six weeks to read this because I could only take so much of it at one time. Even so, I have to admit that Fuller is a good and effective writer. Even though her writing don't get an approving "Whee-haw" out of me, it got the job done.
kbratten's review against another edition
5.0
Picked it up at Goodwill and so glad I did. A true story/biography of a simple cowboy. His life wasn't anything spectacular, but by the end I feel like I cared about his life. Great writing.
khockett's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.25
christiek's review against another edition
4.0
That Alexandra Fuller is some writer. I think she does exactly what she set out to do: open up my world by introducing me the story of someone from a very different world than mine. Along the way she creates a great deal of empathy for Bryant. I like Fuller's lenses.
missymouse's review against another edition
3.0
An interesting way of writing a biography about, the most ordinary of citizens. Its really a celebrate of a simple lead life about Colton H. Bryant, a man who didnt achieve much, but lived with his heart on his sleeve. Very simple and well written, it paints Wyoming beautifully. Readers shouldn't approach this book with are looking for rip roaring yarn. Its simple in every possible way, but really quite lovely.
ashlair's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful imagery of SW Wyoming landscape, the author did a really good job of describing the culture of the area.