Friday, January 13, 2006

Close Range: Wyoming Stories

by Annie Proulx

Hard work, isolation, and desperation permeate the stories in this collection. The difficulties faced by ranchers are emphasized, and a growing epidemic of vegetarianism is mentioned more than once. I chose this collection because I wanted to read Brokeback Mountain, the story of a love affair between two cowboys. Frankly, the story is better than the movie. My favorite? The Mud Below is a tale of a rodeo rider and what drives him to ride again and again.

In general, I liked this collection of stories. The stories vary in length, which makes it a good book to put down and pick up later. I have to admit, I would have enjoyed another rodeo story, instead of the typical bleak rancher tale.

1/13/06

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