A review by fourstringspark
The Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stegner

4.0

This early work by Stegner foreshadows his later classic, “Angle of Repose,” in its focus on a rootless man driven to seek destiny and profit in the people and places of the West. This time, the main character is an abusive, alcoholic ne’er-do-well. “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” is a grim family saga. It’s rougher than “Angle of Repose,” and probably a bit too long. But it still really shines in places. The section in which young Bruce Mason anticipates a visit to town for Fourth of July festivities is one of the most powerful pieces of writing I’ve read in a while.