Kent Haruf describes PLAINSONG as "any simple and unadorned melody or air" and this perfectly describes his wonderful novel. It's set in Holt, Colorado, a small town on the High Plains east of Denver. As the book opens, the reader is introduced to half a dozen characters, each dealing with different issues: Tom Guthrie's wife is seriously depressed and won't leave her bed; their sons Ike and Bobby wonder what will happen to their family; high school student Victoria Roubideaux is struggling with an unplanned pregnancy; the older bachelor brothers Harold and Raymond McPheron are ranching, unaware of the changes soon to come; and Maggie Jones will soon bring these disparate characters together. The story is fascinating in the way the unique landscape influences the characters and how they interact and Haruf's writing style also matches the setting -- sparse and lean, reminiscent of Hemingway. Many of the characters in Plainsong are reintroduced in EVENTIDE. Haruf is definitely an author to savor.
2 comments:
Yes, it's masterful story telling, and artful writing. I've written about him on my blog. Also, search blogger and you'll find more than a few fans.
Hey, I finally checked out your blog. I didn't realize you had been posting so much. It looks good. I will use it!!
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