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Legends of the Fall
by
Jim Harrison
The publication of this magnificent trilogy of short novels — Legends Of The Fall, Revenge, and The Man Who Gave Up His Name — confirmed Jim Harrison's reputation as one of the finest American writers of his generation. These absorbing novellas explore the theme of revenge and the actions to which people resort when their lives or goals are threatened, adding up to an extr...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
April 15th 1980
by Delta
(first published May 28th 1979)
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I decided to read this after Kate and Conrad had a bit of a disagreement over Harrison a few weeks back. I realized I'd never read anything by him, so I picked up this collection of three novellas (unfortunately graced with Brad Pitt and the rest of the movie cast).
At first I disliked it, but then I realized that was because I had expected something else -- I was expecting something more along the lines of McCarthy, and Harrison lacks all the southern gothic Faulknerian pretensions ...more
At first I disliked it, but then I realized that was because I had expected something else -- I was expecting something more along the lines of McCarthy, and Harrison lacks all the southern gothic Faulknerian pretensions ...more
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The book, thankfully, is way better than the movie. Harrison's underrated as a stylist. While he does sort of fit the Michigan writer cliche of an epicurean, hard-drinking Northman, he also writes cogently on Rilke, Cioran, obscure Russian poets like Yesenin, and is equally adept at poetry, formal prose, and, say, restaurant reviews. How many writers can tell you how to make a great stock out of leftover bits of wild game, advise you on a good recording of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, and write ...more
Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison is an excellent read. It is written in third person in a precise yet beautifully emotional manner. While Harrison is concise with his descriptions, his knowledge of the wilderness is superb. He is clearly an outdoorsman and this is evident in his descriptions of nature. His writing also contains a musical rhythm to it, reminiscent of his true strength as a poet. Not much dialogue is written in Legends but this story does not need it. The world he creates...more
This book is actually three novellas, and not about the same characters, though the themes are similar. Of the three, the first has a traditional western arc, the second is almost "American Pastoral" in it's consideration of the scope of a man's life, and the third is again western, but more of a pioneer-y one--the "Legends of the Fall" that the book takes it's name from and that perhaps is the most epic of the three. All three feel like they are sketches for novels that we...more
I think what's really remarkable about Harrison, which, this is only the second collection of three novellas of his that I've read, but each of his pieces are so rich, and but also so varied from one another. The first in this concerns a bloody story of revenge on the Mexico/U.S. border, the second concerns a middleaged executive somewhere near New York, and the third is set in Montana at the time of and after the first world war. And that third novella, Legends of the Fall, is insane. Eighty-fi...more
This book contains three novellas, the last one being the title story. Jim Harrison has been one of my favorite authors for years. He lives in and writes about Michigan in his stories and poetry, capturing the untamed nature of parts of that land. The Legends of the Fall was made into a pretty powerful movie a few years ago, but the story itself is even more powerful. However, the other two stories, "Revenge," and "The Man Who Gave up His Name," are also quite intense. In fac...more
This set of three novellas is very masculine in style and heavy with revenge, but (surprisingly) I really enjoyed it. Even when I found myself disgusted with one or more of the characters, I kept reading because I found myself surprised and intrigued by what I was reading.
If I were to rank the three novellas on how much I enjoyed them, I would list "Legends of the Fall" in first place, "Revenge" in second place, and "The Man Who Gave Up His Name" in thir...more
If I were to rank the three novellas on how much I enjoyed them, I would list "Legends of the Fall" in first place, "Revenge" in second place, and "The Man Who Gave Up His Name" in thir...more
This book contained 3 novellas: Revenge, The Man Who Gave Up His Name,and Legends of the Fall.
The first story was about an American who fell in love with the wife of a Mexican drug czar, and eventually paid a significant price in return.
The second story was about a successful businessman who grew apart from his wife after 20 or so years of marriage. Not only did he give up his name, he gave away his wealth and former lifestyle, and redefined himself.
The fina...more
The first story was about an American who fell in love with the wife of a Mexican drug czar, and eventually paid a significant price in return.
The second story was about a successful businessman who grew apart from his wife after 20 or so years of marriage. Not only did he give up his name, he gave away his wealth and former lifestyle, and redefined himself.
The fina...more
I don't really have a hard and fast opinion on this one. It was just kinda ENHHHH. The book is, in fact, a collection of three short stories all of which are fairly good. For me, there was a definate period of adaptation needed to adjust to the mechanics of Harrison's prose. He seems to dislike commas a great deal and many of his sentences are just clumsy word trains and I had to re-read many sentences just to grasp his meaning. In general, I found the stories to be heavy on meaning and light on...more
Legends of the Fall and the two other novellas here fall into that broad category of work by male writers who write books as an expression of their adolescent fantasies about manhood. File under "Wish Fulfillment." That can be more or less enjoyable, and it is here. If you're looking to explore the terrain of your early teenage imaginations, this might make a good map. Though I should this as well: in a time of starting but not finishing books--which I've never quite experienced befo...more
The best story in here: Revenge. It didn’t work on screen with my friend’s favorite actor Kevin Costner (KC as she calls him).... but on the page it’s a great tale. Harrison really works the page in that story, as a writer and for you the reader. Legends of the Fall works better on screen than the book. I dig that movie. It’s epic, like a movie you’d see in the 1950’s: family, war, god, country, love, death, and a brothers betrayal . I still tear up each time I see the movie when Hopkins, the f...more
great one. even for jim harrison who write a lot of great ones. and i can't complain about brad pitt on the cover.
The particular version of the book I read featured an embarrassingly lame movie-poster cover and included 3 short novellas ... Revenge, The Man Who Gave Up His Name, as well as Legends of the Fall.
I'm not sure what to make of the plots of the stories, themselves. Each consists of a somewhat juvenile revenge fantasy ... of the type that might arise in the mind of an overly dramatic and sullen 15-year old boy. The writing though, is something altogether different. Both richly descript...more
I'm not sure what to make of the plots of the stories, themselves. Each consists of a somewhat juvenile revenge fantasy ... of the type that might arise in the mind of an overly dramatic and sullen 15-year old boy. The writing though, is something altogether different. Both richly descript...more
I was so intrigued by The English Major, that I went to the library and picked up "Legends of the Fall", which, is apparently, some of Harrison's best work. I was not disappointed. The work is actually three separate three(long)-chaptered novellas, each plumbing the depths of the passions and depravity of modern men. The three novellas are different in scope and intent, but the familiar thread of Harrison's of humankind hopelessly fallen from grace, yet possessing a curious nobility...more
This is another one of those books that I made the mistake of seeing the movie first. Again, didn't know the book existed. However, I think if I had read the book first, I never would have bothered with the movie. The book is actually a novella. I picked it up as part of a collection of 3 of Jim Harrison's works. After reading this and another Jim Harrison piece, I conclude that I am simply not a fan of Harrison's writing style. I thought that Legends could have appealed to me, but it was ...more
I originally bought this book because Brad Pitt looks so darn handsome on the cover, but it turns out the novellas within are actually pretty good. That and "Revenge," the first book in the collection, has been recommended to me by many, many people, and I've finally got around to reading it, and will now tell everyone how great it is as though I'm the first person to discover it.
Harrison manages to pack a novel's worth of book into about 100 pages for each story, which is...more
Harrison manages to pack a novel's worth of book into about 100 pages for each story, which is...more
Last night, Adam read me the third and final chapter of Legends of the Fall. A beautiful, beautiful story...and again, I will attest to how wonderful it is to have a story read to you by someone who loves it. There's really something magical about that. However, Harrison's prose really calls to be read aloud - he's one of those writers who really can paint pictures with words. Normally, I hate description - it bores me, and I usually skip it over - but Harrison does it not using many words, just...more
Certain stories stay with you long after you've read the book. LENGENDS OF THE FALL is a perfect example. (And not because my wife has a crush on Brad Pitt, I'm giving all the credit to Jim Harrison.)
I read this book almost five years ago and I can still recall almost every moment of the story. The feelings of the vast wilderness, both geographically and spiritually, that the characters have to roam about makes me suffer both claustrophobia and agoraphobia simultaneously.
...more
I read this book almost five years ago and I can still recall almost every moment of the story. The feelings of the vast wilderness, both geographically and spiritually, that the characters have to roam about makes me suffer both claustrophobia and agoraphobia simultaneously.
...more
At first I was amazed that Harrison's novella could have ever been turned into a full-length movie. After reading it, it became apparent that there is enough material in this short book to make many movies. Harrison's gift for moving over wide expanses of place and time are never more evident than in this book. The characters are so easy to fall in love with, and the soaring vistas that essentially make up another character are a refreshing change from Harrison's familiar U.P. in Michigan.
Awful. Just absolutely awful. Legends of the Fall is my favorite movie by far, but this was the worst book I have ever read. I read the main title first and it was so bad I couldn't read the others. The only reason I finished the story was because I love the movie so much that I just KNEW it was going to get better. It didn't. The author rambles on ridiculously long, and there is no dialogue. It is also quite different from the movie in many ways. I have NEVER been so disappointed.
Funny enough, I seem to disagree with most of the other reviewers here; I thought the film version of the third novella, "Legends of the Fall", was far better than the print story, but oh my goodness, did I enjoy "The Man Who Gave Up His Name". Such a tender, detailed life of an extraordinarily self-attuned main character, entirely believable, tangible, and gorgeous in its scope. I'm glad I read it last, for it left me with an unforgettable taste for Harrison's storytelling.
the movie: you have hot alfred, tormented (and boring) tristan, and adorable samuel all vying for susannah (what happened to her anyway?) against this lush background of racial stereotypes and american frontier sentimentality. in short, its a hugely problematic movie that i cant help but getting sucked into EVERY TIME its on television. so of course, i went into the book hoping for something angst-riddled and entertaining.
the novella: oh god. its like the poor mans version of faulkn...more
the novella: oh god. its like the poor mans version of faulkn...more
People actively laughed at me for reading this book, but they have no idea what they missed. Jim Harrison is a master of elucidating the simple joys of love mixed with the passionate depths of a vengeful heart. Tenderness and brutality are artfully woven together in each novella of this book, leaving you aching for that elusive feeling until he painfully kicks you in the stomach with loss. Don't just watch Brad Pitt and think you're all set; read these stories.
So much better than the film. This book astonished me. How can an epic be so short? There's a line going something like 'There followed seven years of happiness, with not much to say about them.' To me this was completely Shakespearian in it's scope, but with an added deep empathy for the natural world. Heartbreaking and beautiful. When I first read it i wanted to learn how to ride and sail around the world. In short, to be like Tristan...
Short stories are perfect for me right now. I haven't seen the movie, which is based on one of the three short stories in this collection, but I have read other works by Jim Harrison before and have enjoyed them for their interesting and independent characters who choose unusual paths, and for the settings, often in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or in the west. I liked the third and final story "Legends of the Fall", but I liked the first story (the title escapes me at the moment)e...more
Always thought the movie had a great literary quality to it, and hearing that Jim Harrison is a great writer, finally got around to reading the novella. The movie is a sound adaptation, the major difference being that in the book Tristan is a much darker and conflicted character, whereas in the movie he's an uncompromising kindred spirit that is impervious to condemnation in spite of his choices. The writing is damn good too.
Apparently I haven't been paying attention. I didn't realize this was a trilogy of short stories until I bought it at my local used bookstore after seeing an interview with Jim Harrison. Lovely surprise!
Undeniably masculine in his writing, Harrison still manages to get to that ever-so-feminine place in our psyche where questions of love, responsibility, self, etc. reside.
The primary characters here are men and collectively they are exceedingly virile. Still, even as they gra...more
Undeniably masculine in his writing, Harrison still manages to get to that ever-so-feminine place in our psyche where questions of love, responsibility, self, etc. reside.
The primary characters here are men and collectively they are exceedingly virile. Still, even as they gra...more
Marvelous landscapes and for the authors deep knowledge and love of the outdoors. Great scenes of Mexico. And notable for the complete amorality of its characters and in particular its narrator. It was as if the characters and narrator had never even thought "maybe there's something wrong with killing people". Typically there is some inner conflict about this -- whether soldiers or midwestern businessmen -- not here.
Additionally, the three novellas are all essentially the ...more
Additionally, the three novellas are all essentially the ...more
Okay, so I hate the cover of this edition, with its cheesy photo from the movie, BUT Harrison can write beautiful passages about the brutal world. These three novellas, each of them different in tone, setting, and worldview, share Harrison's lyrical prose. There are passages in this book that can teach any wannabe fiction writer a thing or two about the sentence.
If you're reading the book because you saw the movie, you're in for a surprise. "Legends of the Fall" is actually comprised of 3 different novellas.
Each story stands out in its own right and the one theme that runs through each story is revenge and how it affects different people in different ways.
Each story stands out in its own right and the one theme that runs through each story is revenge and how it affects different people in different ways.
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Jim Harrison was born in Grayling, Michigan, to Winfield Sprague Harrison, a county agricultural agent, and Norma Olivia (Wahlgren) Harrison, both avid readers. He married Linda King in 1959 with whom he has two daughters.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
His awards include Nation...more
More about Jim Harrison...
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
His awards include Nation...more
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“If you added it up, without her there was nothing--but with her even the simplest of gestures of walking a bird dog in the desert, or selecting the ingredients for a meal for two rather than one took on an ineffable charm.
(from the novella, Revenge)”
—
7 people liked it
(from the novella, Revenge)”
“His own life suddenly seemed repellently formal. Whom did he know or what did he know and whom did he love? Sitting on the stump under the burden of his father's death and even the mortality inherent in the dying, wildly colored canopy of leaves, he somehow understood that life was only what one did every day.... Nothing was like anything else, including himself, and everything was changing all of the time. He knew he couldn't perceive the change because he was changing too, along with everything else.
(from the novella, The Man Who Gave Up His Name)”
—
7 people liked it
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(from the novella, The Man Who Gave Up His Name)”
