The Monkey Wrench Gang - this was something C. was reading and I picked it up after he was finished. Basically a novel about eco-terrorism. Probably shouldn't even type that. But it was a decent book. I got a little upset at the destructive behavior that takes place, but that was the premise for the book, I think. It always makes me stifle a giggle. Do folks that do that kind of thing know that it isn't the way to achieve their agenda? Do folks really think that destroying personal property is ever a good idea?
South of Broad - Pat Conroy's latest book. You know, he wrote "The Prince of Tides." Now that was a good book. I've read several of his books. They're pretty florid. And the dialog is something that just doesn't happen between normal people. But it kind of makes you wish that it did. South of Broad was just a little too succinct. Everyone had a partner. Things wrapped up a little too neatly (if a little bloodily, is that a word?) for good literature. No strings remained un-snipped if you get my drift. Not his best, but it made for a good day of reading when I was home sick.
White Crosses - this is by an author whom I've read before. He writes mostly about Eastern Montana. And usually set in the 40's or 50's. Everything I've read of his is excellent. He seems to really capture the era and the place. The plots are believable as well as the language. I happen to really like this sub-genre of fiction - if it even exists. It is one of my beefs that no one seems to value Western (US, that is) writers. They don't carry the cache of the Southern US writers nor the Ivy League influence of the East Coast novelists. But there is some great writing happening here. We aren't all cowboys and indians for Pete's sake. Luckily there are other readers who must share in my love of Western writers, they're still getting published at least. A few of my favorites are: Wallace Stegner (the benchmark for writers in the West, I think), Ivan Doig - amazing! That man can construct a sentence that will make you weep, then think, then weep again - wishing you'd written it. His words are like rafting down a bubbly creek in a life vest. Jim Harrison (although he might not consider himself a Westerner, I do) again, a real words man, as in - few words. He can take the fewest words and craft them into the most powerful statements I've ever laid eyes on. I know it has been made into a movie, but his "Legends of the Fall" is something you should read. What could have been another writers 500 page boat anchor is his novella - or more like a short story. Simply amazing. Never listen to his voice though, it will drive you nuts.
Anyway, my two cents on literature.
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