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Liked It1 of 1 members found this review helpful “It depicts a world with which I am completely unfamiliar with exquisite detail. Haunting stories. |
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“ This book includes the well-known (and excellent) short story "Brokeback Mountain," but also "The Half-Skinned Steer," which is on it's way to becoming a classic of the genre. Proulx's spare writing style owes much to Hemingway, but that's not a bad thing at all. ”
Dana Huff wrote this review yesterday. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Annie Proulx's tone throughout this book is majorly depressing, so this probably wasn't the best book to be reading during the holiday season. While reading the stories, I also noticed that she does more telling than showing, so at times, the stories feel like they drag on and the characters don't seem as present as they could on the page. Some of the stories also cover many years, entire lifetimes, or generations. I appreciate her commitment to capturing cowboys and the west, but have read better stories by her. "The Half-Skinned Steer" and "Brokeback Mountain" are well worth it, as was "The Mud Below." ”
Jeri W wrote this review 2 days ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Yes, it's famous for "Brokeback Mountain", a super short story but have a belly laugh and read the others!”
Mishelle B wrote this review Saturday, October 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Read it for the Brokeback Mountain story, which was good; the rest were OK”
Heather K wrote this review Friday, August 14 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No1 of 1 members found this review helpful“It depicts a world with which I am completely unfamiliar with exquisite detail. Haunting stories.
Sam M wrote this review Thursday, September 17 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
I love the darkness of these stories - the loneliness, the desperation of the characters, the extremes of the weather, the landscape.
This is so different from the tired tales of boy or girl growing up in the suburbs.
They make me want to visit the West, they make me afraid of it.
I can't stop thinking about this book. The despair, the lives of grit and passion shakes me. It is so far from the crass materialism and trivial concerns that dominate so many lives.
It seems that almost everyone likes Brokeback Mountain the best and so I thought for sure I wouldn't like that story (and I have no intention of seeing the movie) but I did. I liked them all.”
“Exquisite prose, like poetry, yet honest and direct. Beautiful stories.”
Syllable wrote this review Friday, July 31 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I picked this book up for the Western tag (which I needed to read for a challenge I am doing), unaware that it is the book that inspired the movie Brokeback mountain. I was surprised to find that an entire movie had been made from just a short story. But I realized that's probably why the movie was so good - the director didn't have to leave a lot of stuff out like they do when making a movie from an entire book. It's been some time since I saw the movie, but it did seem to follow the story very closely.
ghost of a rose wrote this review Thursday, June 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
The first story was about a old man returning to the ranch where he grew up after many decades away. The second was about a crude rodeo bullrider. Neither are subjects that I have any interest in, and I thought that I would have to force myself to get through the book. But I've read and loved some of Proulx's other work, and trusted her, so I kept going. And I'm so glad that I did! The stories are so interesting and well-written that it doesn't matter whether you are interested in Wyoming ranching or rodeos.
At first it seems that each story is a separate entity, especially since they range from the 1800's to modern times. But as you read on, you begin to recognize characters from earlier stories and realize that - although each can stand alone and some have characters that are unique to that particular story - the stories pull together to form a coherent whole narrative.
The stories also represent a wide variety of moods. Several are heartbreaking, some inspiring, a couple are horrifying, a couple more are funny. Most are realistic, but one could be classified as fantasy, one as a tall tale, and another as horror/thriller. At least one reads like poetry in places. Two are made up of stories-within- a-story. Yet throughout them all she speaks with the same authentically western voice.
The overall theme is one of finding beauty and meaning to life within the crushingly hard work, poverty, and failed relationships that is ranching. The reader gets a most vivid picture of endless, lifelong struggle and failure, but somehow this is not a depressing book to read. You also get a picture of the mental strength of ordinary people, and the ways people sometimes cooperate to support one another in need, even when they don't get along. And how triumph of the human spirit isn't always a matter of glorious dramatic victory, but can also be demonstrated in those who just keep plodding along in the face of overwhelming odds.
Although an audiobook is available, Close Range has gorgeous, richly-colored watercolor illustrations painted by the artist William Matthews especially for the book, so don't miss out on them by getting the audiobook instead.
(283 pages)
Quotes from Close Range:
"There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to believe, but nothing could be done about it, and if you can't fix it you've got to stand it."
"Reality's never been of much use out here." - retired Wyoming rancher, quoted in Close Range”
“I love Proulx voice and her subtle humor. I was really able to get into the heads of her characters, which is amazing in short pieces. My favorite is "The Blood Bay."”
Erin T wrote this review Monday, March 23 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“My brother in law Mike recommended this book so I gave it a try and was completely hooked. This is where the short story "Brokeback Mountain" came from. The stories are about life in the west -- crazy stories about murder, love, bigotry. All extremely well-written and some very funny. I've since read most of her books. They are all excellent. But I have a special place in my heart for short stories -- they are easy-read books that usually don't skimp on intelligence. If anything they make you think more because there is less room for explanation.”
Cherylanne wrote this review Wednesday, January 28 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
1 of 1 members found this review helpful“Brutal, moving stories. ”
Olivia Gentile wrote this review Monday, December 22 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
