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Close Range
by E. Annie Proulx
by E. Annie Proulx
Matt's review
bookshelves: west, wyoming, story-collections
Sep 14, 10
bookshelves: west, wyoming, story-collections
Read from August 12 to September 11, 2010 — I own a copy, read count: 1
"Only earth and sky matter. Only the endlessly repeated flood of morning light. You begin to see that God does not owe us much beyond that." (99)
Annie Proulx creates some very convincing characters and stories. Her descriptions and sentences often make me reread and analyze them, how amazing her metaphors and deep her imagery. She is an extremely talented writer.
All of these stories are steeped in Wyoming culture, life and lore. The collection starts out very strong, and ends even stronger, although somewhere in the middle (while toying with urban legends and different narrative mechanisms), she loses her way a little. All in all, these stories are surprising, touching, contemplative, and philosophical.
Favorites are the classic "Brokeback Mountain" (the only story I had previously read), "The Mud Below," "Pair a Spurs", "The Half-Skinned Steer" (one of John Updike's picks for best short stories of the century).
These stories are like Wyoming herself: "You don't leave until you have to." (190)
Annie Proulx creates some very convincing characters and stories. Her descriptions and sentences often make me reread and analyze them, how amazing her metaphors and deep her imagery. She is an extremely talented writer.
All of these stories are steeped in Wyoming culture, life and lore. The collection starts out very strong, and ends even stronger, although somewhere in the middle (while toying with urban legends and different narrative mechanisms), she loses her way a little. All in all, these stories are surprising, touching, contemplative, and philosophical.
Favorites are the classic "Brokeback Mountain" (the only story I had previously read), "The Mud Below," "Pair a Spurs", "The Half-Skinned Steer" (one of John Updike's picks for best short stories of the century).
These stories are like Wyoming herself: "You don't leave until you have to." (190)
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Reading Progress
| 08/12/2010 | page 23 |
|
8.0% |
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Susan
(new)
Sep 15, 2010 10:28am
Hey Mattie, now you should read Shipping News by her, it is awesome! Also if you love Wyoming stories and Big Sky country, Read Kent Haruf and Mark Spragg. I also love Larry Watson, Montana 1948.
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By the way, I love imagery in writing. It makes such a difference. I enjoy being able to see in my mind what the author is describing as well as the words conjuring up smells and memories and poignant feelings. That's why it's nice to own your own copies of favorite authors, so you can underline your favorite passages. Now I am loving Elizabeth Strout's books. Some of her imagery and descriptions of the joy and pain and meaning in life are priceless.
thanks mom, I have Shipping News and will try to read it soon! (just started Gretel Ehrlich's The Solace of Open Space--I'm on a wyoming kick). all of those authors sound great. which Mark Spragg book do you recommend? Where the Rivers Change Direction?I agree that imagery is SO important in writing. that's mainly what I love about authors like Cormac McCarthy--he can make metaphors stick where they shouldn't, can describe something or a scene in a novel way that makes me sit back and think, "that's perfect." Annie Proulx definitely has that talent too. some of her brief analogies are too perfect. I think the best prose requires elements of the best poetry (and maybe vice versa?). precise and accurate imagery is at the heart of both.
have you ever heard of John McPhee? pulitzer prize winner, journalist, nonfictionist, I bought his Rising From the Plains (also wyoming, geology) at DI then realized it was third in a series, a series that's collected in a massive volume, Annals of the Former World. needless to say, I bought it, and want to read it soon. he's very prolific, and apparently can make interesting tales of any subject (oranges, canoe building, etc.).
