Oh wow. This is truly a masterpiece and it has become my lifetime favorite.

From the moment I laid eyes on it, I was completely captivated. The details are so精致 that they seem to come alive before my very eyes.

The colors blend together perfectly, creating a harmonious and visually stunning composition.

It's not just a work of art; it's a piece of my soul. Every time I look at it, I discover something new and it never fails to inspire me.

I can't imagine my life without this masterpiece by my side. It has brought so much joy and beauty into my world.

I will cherish it always and pass it down to future generations as a precious heirloom.

An interesting, engaging, and eventful novel is set in the early 1900s and spans over 30 years in the lives of the Moran family. The character of Bo Moran is truly dynamic. He has an excellent memory, is a proficient rifle shooter, a talented baseball player, and a capable carpenter. However, Bo is also a wanderer, a dreamer, and a schemer of fortunes, and he has a rather bad temper. He falls in love with Elsa, and they have two sons, Chet and Bruce. While Elsa is a very good parent, Bo is not. He is never content with his lot in life, always desiring to do better financially, which leads him to neglect and be impatient with his boys. From wheat farming, Bo转行 to become a bootlegger. Bo's life is indeed full of adventures, and there are numerous dramatic incidents in the book.

Here is an example of Stegner's writing style: 'Perhaps it took several generations to make a man, perhaps it took several combinations and re-creations of his mother's gentleness and resilience, his father's enormous energy and appetite for the new, a subtle blending of masculine and feminine, selfish and selfless, stubborn and yielding, before a proper man could be fashioned.'

Although I prefer Stegner's 'Angle of Repose' (the 1971 Pulitzer Prize winner), 'The Spectator Bird' (the 1976 National Book Award winner), and 'Crossing to Safety' (1987), this novel is nearly as good. First published in 1943, it is a worthwhile read.

Wow. These 600 pages were truly depressing even for me. However, I was completely floored by their power. The prose was simple, rarely drawing attention to itself, yet always worthy of further consideration. The sentences unfurled, just like the narrative, slowly, leading to observations that made the long journey worthwhile.

I think this is precisely why I have such a great liking for Stegner. He writes simply and beautifully about the timeless struggles for self-realization. And despite all the gender stereotypes present, I absolutely love the way he portrays complicated relationships. He writes about unexplainable love, unrequited love, and about people striving to find their place in a complex and harsh world.

The worst criticism I can offer regarding The Big Rock Candy Mountain is that it is episodic. This wouldn't be such a significant issue if the peaks of the action weren't so captivating. At times, the falling action feels more like a crash. For this reason, I wouldn't recommend Big Rock before Angle of Repose or Crossing to Safety. Nevertheless, each section of Big Rock has its own merits, and all the sections are interwoven with thematic threads - about gender, family, loss, and inheritance - that combine the episodes into one complete picture of a country that was once wild and is now settling into a new form.

Every time I pick up a Wallace Stegner book, I find myself completely immersed in his world.

This particular book, while perhaps not my absolute favorite compared to "Angle of Repose" and "Crossing to Safety," still has its own charm.

We are introduced to characters like Bo Mason, a rough and tough midwesterner from the early 20th century, who meets and falls in love with Elsa, a gentle, kind, and lovely woman.

The old adage "opposites attract" is definitely at play here. However, their marriage and family face extreme tests when Bo gets involved in various get-rich schemes and illegal activities.

Elsa is truly the jewel of this story, shining brightly as she raises her two boys through numerous moves across the West and Canada.

Each character in this book has so many layers, and it's something you really have to experience for yourself.

The themes of "What is home?" and what creates and breaks family bonds are explored in depth.

Treat yourself to this classic by Wallace Stegner. Although the story is set in the early modern West, what makes it a classic is that it could have happened anywhere.

We are treated to Stegner's vivid depiction of 20th-century America and the bordering regions of Canada, which is truly fascinating.

It's a long book, and there may be some parts that seem to lag, but remember that everything in Stegner's books has a purpose.

With only 20 percent left on my Kindle, I stayed up to finish it in a hotel room in Maui, even having to stand due to a lack of outlets.

I just can't get this story or the characters out of my mind, and I believe everyone will find a little piece of themselves within these pages.

We are all flawed, we all have a purpose, we all experience failure and success, and Stegner captures it all and relays it to us in "The Book of Rock Candy Mountain."

I have a great affection for many of Wallace Stegner's books. "Angle of Repose" is an incredibly rich and wonderful work that I even purchased the full 28 (or so) CD version to listen to as a supplement to reading the book. I firmly believe that "Crossing to Safety" is one of the most love-filled and human books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. "Wolf Willow" truly made me feel as if I was listening to him speak while I was engrossed in the book. I also adored "Spectator Bird."

However, "Big Rock Candy Mountain" was a significant disappointment. As is typically the case with Stegner's works, the writing is fabulous, with beautifully chosen words and highly believable characters. But the story itself is extremely negative. It features a man with the maturity of a four-year-old who repeatedly fails to learn from the bad choices he makes. He abuses his family both through his direct actions and his indirect selfishness. While he may perhaps be representative of many tragic real-life stories, the book simply wasn't worth the time I would have spent to complete it. Each time I picked it up for a concentrated reading, I would be drawn in by the characterizations, but the overall result was a sense of depression and annoyance at these people who didn't improve as they lived their lives and didn't enhance the lives of those around them either.

I read approximately 200 pages, then skipped to the last chapter and concluded that life is just too short to dedicate any more time to this particular book.

Some years ago, I had the pleasure of reading "Angle of Repose" by Wallace Stegner, and I was completely enamored with it.

I had always intended to explore another one of Stegner's works, but somehow, I never quite got around to it.

A few weeks ago, I finally made the decision to pick up "The Big Rock Candy Mountain."

However, this turned out to be a bit of a misstep.

About halfway through the book, I had to set it aside.

I simply couldn't bring myself to finish it.

The plot was both depressing and repetitive.

Set in the early 20th century, it follows a young woman who marries a drifter/dreamer with a violent temper.

He drags his wife and children all over the west and even into Canada in a fruitless attempt to realize his pipe dreams.

I didn't take a liking to the characters, especially the abusive husband/father.

Moreover, I grew bored with what essentially felt like the same story being retold over and over again.

Nevertheless, I still believe that Stegner was a remarkable writer.

I highly recommend "Angle of Repose" to anyone looking for a great read.

I also suspect that "The Big Rock Candy Mountain," written almost thirty years earlier, served as a warm-up for "Angle" and perhaps some of his other books as well.

Next time, I'll opt for something else he wrote later in his career.

This is an uncomfortable read that constantly features tragedy, yet it is a masterpiece. The characters are phenomenal and are brilliantly brought to life.

What I like most about it is the hidden treatise (theme) of hereditary lineage within the family regarding habits, personality, and so on. It makes one wonder where it all starts and how to make amends for it. Beyond that, it also makes us think about where and when a new strain of character can emerge.

The story in Part 8 Chapter 1 is simply superb. It delves deep into the complex web of family relationships and the influence of genetics. The author's writing style is engaging and captivating, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish.

Despite the uncomfortable nature of the subject matter, the book offers valuable insights into the human condition and the power of inheritance. It makes us reflect on our own families and the traits that we may have inherited.

In conclusion, this is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the themes of family, genetics, and the human psyche. It is a powerful and thought-provoking work that will stay with you long after you have finished reading.

This is one of those books that's so hard to neatly sum up my feelings for because I have so much to say and a mess of thoughts and connections racing through my head.

Bo Mason was not a likeable man. He was a difficult and stubborn individual who spent a lifetime chasing selfish dreams at the expense of his children and incredibly strong wife. His actions had a profound impact on the lives of those around him.

This book is slightly autobiographical, which is also wild to think about. It really drives home the love and admiration Bruce has for all of them despite their flaws. It shows that even in the midst of difficult circumstances and complex relationships, there is still a deep sense of connection and affection.

The quote "It was a good thing to have been along and seen, a thing to be remembered and told about, a thing that he and his father shared. Perhaps that was what it meant, all of it. It was good to have been along and to have shared it. They were things he had learned that could not be taken away from him. Perhaps it made several generations to make a man, perhaps it took several combinations and re-creations of his mother’s gentleness and resilience, his father’s enormous energy and appetite for the new, a subtle blending of masculine and feminine, selfish and selfless, stubborn and yielding, before a proper man could be fashioned" really encapsulates the essence of the book. It shows the importance of family, the power of memories, and the complex nature of human relationships.

It certainly wasn't what I had expected.

There were indeed some very nice moments throughout the narrative. However, when looking at the work as a whole, it was just lacking in several aspects.

The situation got even worse in the last third of the book. At that point, Bruce became the focal point, and he rambled on and on about little things, which made the story lose its momentum.

I had been hoping for a book that was similar in scope to John Steinbeck's East of Eden. At times, this one did come close, but the overused trope of the enduring wife/mother versus the neglect or brutality of the husband/father wore pretty thin.

To be fair, it's not a horrible story. There are some redeeming qualities, but overall, I don't see myself ever picking it up again. It failed to leave a lasting impression on me and didn't quite meet the expectations I had set for it.

Perhaps with a different approach or a more refined storyline, it could have been a more engaging and memorable read. As it stands, it is just an average book that didn't quite live up to its potential.

Fortunately, I don't encounter many individuals like Bo Mason in either fiction or real life. He is the kind of person who is constantly on the lookout for the next big money-making enterprise, with the hope that he and his family (but mainly himself) will land on Easy Street or, in this case, on the Big Rock Candy Mountain, where everything is not just great but superb.

Wallace Stegner's The Big Rock Candy Mountain is a rich and sweeping epic that描绘了 the 20世纪的头几十年. It follows the journey of the Mason family, which we see at various times through the eyes of Bo, his wife Elsa, and their sons Chet and Bruce. Stegner's writing is both lyrical and descriptive, yet straightforward. He portrays his characters as real humans who experience happiness, hard work, and tragedy, while also evoking the incredible vastness and magnificence of the American West. First published in 1943, it is thoughtful, old-fashioned in the best sense, and completely without contemporary political correctness (if that matters to you).

Objectively speaking, it is an amazing novel and a pleasure to read because of Stegner's incredible prose. However, I didn't always "enjoy" The Big Rock Candy Mountain. In fact, I often found it painful, sometimes breathtakingly so. On the other hand, I will never forget it.

We meet Elsa before Bo enters the picture. The book begins with her on a train, having left home for the Dakota Territory to live with an uncle who has a shop in one of the towns. She meets Bo, a charmer who sweeps her off her feet, marries him, has two sons, and then proceeds to live a peripatetic and poverty-ridden life. All she wants is a home; all Bo wants is to wander and pursue his next opportunity. They love each other, but is that enough? I enjoyed the first hundred pages or so, which is essentially Elsa's story, and was always glad to return to her perspective. I appreciated her, even if I didn't understand her choices. On the other hand, I found Bo endlessly unnerving. By the end of the book, even though I had never had much sympathy for him and probably should have felt sorry for him, I despised him.

And then there are the children. Chet is much like his father - boisterous, athletic, with big dreams of success - and reminded me a little of Tom Sawyer. Bruce is quiet and more sensitive, bookish and academically inclined. Guess who suffers more abuse at his father's hand?

For many reasons that I don't want to go into detail about, so as not to fill this review with spoilers, The Big Rock Candy Mountain is one of the most harrowing books I've ever read. Not only do the Mason family and their neighbors endure the flu epidemic of 1918, but Bo's stint as a bootlegger often ends in close calls. There are unforgettable images throughout the book that took my breath away, and one in particular that made me cry as I gasped and shook my head... sadly, angrily, in horror. Even thinking about it is upsetting.

Although The Big Rock Candy Mountain is excellent overall, the last third or so (seen mainly from Bruce's perspective) of the book is simply outstanding and could almost - almost - stand on its own. In addition to the heartbreaking drama as the Mason story comes to a close, it includes one of the finest meditations on home, memory, and the pursuit of the American Dream that I have ever read.

This book and these characters will truly haunt me for a long time.

I listened to this book and was completely enamored with Mark Bramhall as the narrator. His voice was incredibly soothing during the narrative passages, and the way he brought all the different characters to life was nothing short of masterful.

As for the book itself, it is an absolute Masterwork. There are so many passages that read like beautiful poetry, and it also contains a powerful cautionary message about the perils of relentlessly pursuing “the American dream”. The story of this family is tragic, and the characters are so richly developed that I can vividly envision them popping into my mind from time to time in the long future. I was also pleasantly surprised by the parts of the book set in 1930s Salt Lake City. It was great fun to hear the names of familiar places like Saltair, Brighton, South Temple, 300 South, and so on.

In some post-listening research, I came across an almost prophetic quote by Wallace Stegner himself: “And what is fiction made of anyway? It's made of births and deaths and weddings and courtships. I don't know what we're going to make of it when the family has gone out of style completely. There's nothing left. You starve yourself without family - you starve your hatreds as well as your loves. We need a core of associations.... We need indispensable relationships.”

I would rate the book a PG-13 for language. While there are no f-bombs, there is a fair amount of cursing, especially as the characters find themselves in increasingly desperate situations towards the end of the book. There is no blatant sexuality or nudity, and although there are some references to violence, nothing is graphically portrayed.

As I write reviews of books I’ve read partly to help myself remember them, here are the key points that I hope to retain in my memory: a person is not a single point but rather a line through time and can be found at various points along that line throughout their life; and it may take several generations and recombinations of traits to create a complete person, thus linking us all together through this process across generations.

If you’re seeking a light beach read or a super uplifting story, this may not be the book for you. However, if you’re looking for a thought-provoking piece that will stay with you like classics such as “The Great Gatsby” or “Huck Finn”, then I wholeheartedly give this one my highest recommendation.

I wasn't entirely certain about how to perceive this book. It appears to be a combination of memoir and novel.

However, after recently reading Richard Ford's Canada, I can state that Canada seems like a feeble imitation of what Stegner achieved in this work.

In this particular case, the author delved deeper into the concept of American or western violence. Moreover, it was done with a much greater level of understanding.

The exploration of this theme goes beyond the surface, allowing the reader to gain insights into the complex nature of violence in that context.

Stegner's writing style and his ability to bring the story to life make this book a truly engaging and thought-provoking read.

It makes one question the roots and consequences of violence in American society, and how it has shaped the nation's history and identity.

Overall, this book offers a unique perspective on a topic that is often overlooked or simplified in other works.

It is a must-read for anyone interested in American history, literature, or the study of violence.