This is a good book, but it doesn't reach the greatness of "The Big Rock Candy Mountain."

It is only half the length, yet it felt twice as long. I wasn't as compelled to read on as I was with the earlier book.

I would definitely recommend reading "The Big Rock Candy Mountain" first to get to know the characters better.

"Recapitulation" fills in the gaps from the earlier book, told through flashbacks. The character has returned to Salt Lake City 45 years after leaving, looking up old haunts and having memories flood back.

I was disappointed in one item from Bruce's to-do list that he fails to fulfill in the end (without revealing what that was).

Overall, while this book has its merits, it doesn't quite measure up to the predecessor.

It could have been more engaging and had a stronger impact if it had been able to capture the same magic as "The Big Rock Candy Mountain."

Nevertheless, it is still an interesting read for those who are fans of the author or interested in the story.

Perhaps with further development and refinement, future works by this author will reach the level of excellence that "The Big Rock Candy Mountain" has achieved.

Anyone who decides to read "Recapitulation" is recommended to read Stegner's The Big Rock Candy Mountain first before dealing with this sequel, which takes place about 45 years later. Bruce Mason, the only survivor of a dysfunctional family, returns to Salt Lake City, the city of his youth, to bury an aunt. Before the funeral, he revisits the places where he spent his youth and recalls past relationships: his parents and brother, school friends, and his only love, Nola. He reflects on what was and what could have been. In a sense, Bruce is "everyman", who in the evening of his life searches for purpose and meaning - or perhaps just reflection.

Stegner is a brilliant writer and uses different stylistic techniques as he jumps back and forth between Bruce's youth (around 1930-1932) and the present day (1977). Stegner himself lived much of his early life in Salt Lake City, and his narrative makes numerous specific references to places and events in the early 1930s. Anyone familiar with the City of the Saints (past or present) will recognize the streets and locations that still bear the same names today. It is an interesting psychological read, and from an historical perspective, it is a very nostalgic read.

This novel was penned approximately 35 years subsequent to Stegner's creation of Big Rock Candy Mountain. It marks a return to the identical characters and certain themes of the initial book. Both were founded upon Stegner's own family, chronicling the tales of his parents, brother, and himself, represented as Bruce. In 1977, Bruce makes his way back to Salt Lake and takes note of all the alterations that have occurred since his departure in 1932. He engages in extensive reminiscing and grapples with coming to terms with himself, his friends, and, in particular, his parents.

I'm uncertain if he had intended for it to unfold in this manner, yet it appears to me that the son has developed numerous traits of the father - not as violent, but equally self-centered, perhaps even more so. At the very least, the father had been capable of love, albeit often expressing it inadequately. The son transforms into a tightly constricted individual who cannot allow anyone to truly know him or draw near to him - perhaps he dreaded that he would inflict harm if he loved someone. He is hopelessly sentimental, but only within the confines of his own mind. At least he does ultimately resolve some loose ends from the first book.

As is一贯 the case with Stegner, it is extremely well-written. The descriptive scenes are truly lovely.

Wallace Stegner, highly regarded by his fellow writers, unfortunately seems to be less known, especially on this side of the Atlantic than he truly deserves. He has an impressive body of work, including novels, short stories, non-fiction, and memoirs. Additionally, he founded the creative writing programme at Stanford University and produced the valuable ‘On Teaching and Writing Fiction’. In 1972, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his novel ‘Angle of Repose’, which is the only other book of his that I have read. This is a vast historical novel based on the letters of Mary Hallock Foote.

‘Recapitulation’ is quite different. Bruce Mason returns to Salt Lake City to bury his last remaining relative in the family plot. The city has changed significantly since his memories from when he left as a young adult. What follows are the memories and reminiscences that the places he visits bring back to him. It is a superbly crafted and stylistically elegant book that, in character, reminds me of the pure elegance of John Williams’ ‘Stoner’. The memories are presented like a series of camera contact sheets, with the stories associated with each frame. Each memory forces Mason to confront something from his past, making the trip feel like a catharsis.

Bruce Mason is now a tough and rugged diplomat, alone (possibly lonely), single, and childless. He is diffident, self-assured (perhaps to the point of stubbornness), yet at the same time carrying all those latent doubts of the self-assured. We learn this through the accumulations and hints within Stegner’s prose. Mason was a highly respected member of the State Department and a Middle East ambassador.

What unfolds is an epic examination of memory and reminiscence, initiated by every sensation – not just a cerebral function. Since memory is both fugitive and mutable, it attempts to view our memories as part of what makes us human. Stegner wants us to think deeply about this and sets his marks early. “Are we what we do, or do we do what we are?” Mason looks back at what drove him as a young man in the city and what led him to leave. He discovers that what he thought was merely trivia hides a wealth of deep content, that there is no such thing as trivia when it comes to memory, and that the important is composed of accumulations of trivial moments that form the significant.

The narrative is split between the contents and actions within Mason’s mind – his reminiscences and intellectualisations – and the observations of the environment in which they are taking place. This is his life – this is how he (and I would argue ‘we’) proceed – of where we are and what is happening in our minds as we go about our daily existence. This is modern writing in an old style – no postmodernism here. Stegner portrays the peri-pubescent longing so well that it is impossible to avoid self-assessment. Our attempts to assess Stegner’s writing lead us to assess ourselves as individuals. This is why Stegner is so good.

Mason begins to see that through all the trivia of memory, there are deep shafts of illumination that are fundamentally and psychologically troubling and are the root causes of events, contributing like building blocks to his character. These events are what made him! Those deep, important psyche-forming experiences that sear the memory so much that we bury them deep and mutate them, so that only with effort can we get back to the whys. This is psychoanalysis in novel form. His mother’s submissiveness but unconditional love, his rapscallion bootlegging father’s contempt for him, and the total lack of belonging to anything – all are put away in a box and now, on Mason’s return, touched on like a cavity in a tooth. These memories are brought back to life when they had been carefully stored away psychologically so they could not impinge.
We approach nostalgia, that longing for a golden age of the past, with a degree of hypocrisy if we are honest. While we are aware of the fallacious nature of this vision, there is still a part of us that wants to believe that it was somehow better and there was an element of truth in it.
We are dealing with Stegner’s delineation of Mason’s memories. What does Stegner want us to draw from this? That memories are both tangible and mutable? That, no matter how good or bad it seemed at the time, it was never that good or bad when looking back. So Mason’s life was not that bad. It wasn’t unmitigated bullying from an unloving father, and he was academically good enough to be offered a scholarship to Law School. He was, in fact, upwardly mobile and a bit of a ligger, but also prepared to work hard when needed to get what he wanted. Stegner isn’t afraid to touch on class consciousness.
This is the step into adulthood – of taking it on without a safety net, of having to do it all alone and singularly, of battling to get ahead without connections or easy opportunities.
His memories of his first true love, Nola, come to the fore in stark light. Stegner gives us hints of the uncertainty of first sex in the 1930s. Mason wonders whether he is the first. They both lead each other on, though Nola seems more duplicitous. Mason chooses to ignore what is hinted at in his desire to love and be loved and to lose his virginity, even if it means committing to a marriage. Then comes the conflict that will determine whether he becomes an average Joe, stays in Salt Lake marrying Nola, or takes up the Law School scholarship. This section is written extremely well, describing the vagaries and uncertainties of commitment to different causes, all of which serve different ends and have varying degrees of importance depending on where you stand at any given point in an attempt to assess their claims. “When you live by daily postponements, you better have hope.” It is easier to be stubborn than to chance into the unknown and be overwhelmed. And Nola is not the intellectual that Mason sees and wants in himself. Nola wants conformity – marriage, children, family, and a specific locale. Mason sees the possibilities beyond all that, yet he knows that conformity is all-encompassing and the easy way. What Mason experiences unfolds through a three-chapter tour de force of writing by Stegner. Of first sex, the belief that his love was reciprocated, but the realisation that this may not be the case when he returns from Law School to find she has taken up with one of his friends. This is what it feels like to be rejected, to be judged and found wanting, to realise that what you were experiencing was actually hollow. You thought it was the real thing, refused to accept or understand all those little perturbations that were like the tip of the iceberg, indicative of the massive bulk hidden below the surface. What Mason, the future ambassador, experiences is the trauma and grief of loss through his memories on this return trip to his past. These are the inked-out frames that cannot remain inked-out forever when their effects have been so profound. They must be appraised.
There is a deep sense of wisdom in what Stegner has written here. And the way he has written it is to make the reader approach and examine themselves through the writing. The novel becomes an exercise in self-examination, showing that we all carry our pasts with us and that the inked-out sections need to be confronted at some point because those experiences are deeply relevant. To leave them inked-out is to be forever wounded by them.
It is a marvellous novel, far deeper than you would initially believe in a novel with no story (allegedly)! “Without some external evidence, he had no way of sorting out truth from wistfulness and self-deception and grievance; ….. he told himself that it is easy enough to recover from a girl, who represents to some extent a choice. It is not so easy to recover from parents, who are fate.” A great book on memory, far more psychological than you could first imagine – the mutability of memory and the vanity of selection that is kept rosy and cherished rather than the inked-out and forgotten. It leaves you with the feeling that this may not be all novel and that this may have more than a little memoir in it. It is as if he is writing out himself from memory, creating the diminutive, wry youth with his dismal family background so that he can continue as he is, as he wants to be, moving forward.

This book is a sequel to The Big Rock Candy Mountain. It is truly satisfying to obtain more closure regarding those characters.

These two books are based on Wallace Stegner's real life, albeit they are fictional and the names have been altered. His father is a difficult character to read about in both books as he is harsh, unloving, and abusive. On the other hand, his mother is a long-suffering and kind woman. Their life is dysfunctional, and at times, it breaks my heart to read about it.

I adored the part where his mom signed him up for a tennis club in an attempt to get him to stop reading and make some friends. A boy from school happened to run into him there and taught him to play. The Stegner character eventually spends a significant portion of his older teen years at that boy's house and among his family.

I also appreciate how the Stegner character, when looking back on his teen and college years, perceives things differently than he did as a youth. He is able to see his own mistakes rather than just focusing on how he was wronged. He becomes much softer towards everyone from his past, which is a form of redemption for all of them.

This is the kind of book that lingers in the back of your mind for a long time, leaving a lasting impression.

This was the second book in Stegner's semi-autobiographical novels, following The Big Rock Candy Mountain. It was written 45 years after the first one and takes up where the first leaves off.

However, it does so through flashbacks from an older Bruce Mason (Stegner) as he returns to Salt Lake City for his aunt's funeral.

While his writing remains as beautiful and vivid as ever, the story unfortunately gets bogged down, especially in the first half.

As the story progresses, Mason is in college and then in law school. He experiences a failed romance, struggles to find his purpose in life, and faces ongoing difficulties in his family life.

Finally, he comes close to accepting his abusive father and attains some measure of closure.

Although not quite as excellent as The Big Rock Candy Mountain, it is still a worthwhile read for those who are fans of Stegner's work.

Nudging it up to 4 stars

Bruce Mason makes a return to Utah for his aunt's funeral, which takes place approximately thirty years after the death of his father. Amidst the hazy memories of love and loss that flood his mind, there is often a tinge of bitterness due to his strained relationship with his father. As he reflects on the past, he contemplates what is truly real and what is worthy of holding onto.

I wouldn't recommend this book unless you have already read and enjoyed Big Rock Candy Mountain. However, if you have, you will likely have an appreciation for this much-delayed follow-up.

Bob wrote a great review, and you can check it out at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... This review might provide further insights and perspectives on the book, helping you to decide whether it's a read for you.

Overall, while this book may not be for everyone, those who have a connection to the previous work and are interested in exploring themes of family, memory, and redemption may find it to be a worthwhile read.

I truly savor Stegner's work, and this particular book stands out.

It describes Salt Lake City with such beauty and aptness. This is the very place where I was born and continue to reside.

Although I read it a long time ago, I can still recall rereading certain sentences due to their sheer beauty and the nostalgia they evoked.

This is a small yet wonderful book that I am certain to reread in the future.

It holds a special place in my heart, as it not only captures the essence of my hometown but also does so in a way that is both engaging and memorable.

The words seem to come alive on the page, painting a vivid picture of the city and its people.

Stegner's writing style is truly a joy to behold, and this book is a testament to his talent.

I look forward to many more readings of this delightful work.

I'm truly uncertain about my thoughts regarding this book.

On one hand, it is written as skillfully as anything Stegner has penned. The prose is smooth and engaging, drawing the reader in.

However, on the other hand, reading this book feels akin to perusing a confession. It's an extremely private work, like an exposed and raw nerve.

Throughout the reading process, I repeatedly got the impression that writing this must have been an agonizing experience for the author.

It's as if they were digging into their own flesh to extract a buried thorn that, although healed over, still causes pain.

In this regard, it wasn't a pleasant read. It felt too voyeuristic, getting too close to the core of personal emotions.

That doesn't mean the book was entirely gloomy. Bruce's nostalgic meanderings through Salt Lake in search of remnants of his past were equally nostalgic for me.

The mountains, suburbs, and major landmarks are all places I'm familiar with.

Discovering familiar things presented from a different perspective is always a welcome experience.

There's also the familiarity of the wedding Bruce attends in Emery County, which brings to mind countless family and extended functions.

From the reprobate youths sneaking cigarettes out of sight of the adults to the kitchen full of aunts, the sullen children upset with each other for unknown reasons, and the ice cream coolers full of hand-churned ice cream.

These details are so familiar to me that I believe I was the model for that twelve-year-old boy who was eating as if the wedding dinner would be his last square meal before the Fourth of July.

This is where my conflict lies. This book is simultaneously comfortable and unsettling.

I'm not sure how to feel about it as a whole. I'm not certain if I would recommend it.

However, I also don't regret having read it. If you'd like, pick it up. You might enjoy it.

But if you do decide to read this, be sure to have read Big Rock Candy Mountain beforehand.

Recapitulation is a sort of coda to that book, and I don't think it works without the foundation of the first novel.

Even if you don't want to read Recapitulation, you should still read Big Rock Candy Mountain because it's an amazing book.

As a postscript, I'd like to note that this book also contains reworkings of two of Stegner's short stories - The Blue-Winged Teal and Maiden in a Tower.

Also, what's up with the photo on the cover of this edition of the book? How hard did they have to search to find a photo of Salt Lake that they could crop the temple out of?

It's odd that they go to such lengths to remove the traditional symbol of Mormonism from the cover of a book in which Mormons play such a large role.

(Is it ironic that the Church Office Building is still in the frame? Some sort of oblique statement on the state of the modern church? Who can say.)

Who takes a picture looking west in Salt Lake anyway? The Oquirrhs are nice, but the Wasatch range is the proper backdrop for that city. Bad form, Penguin books. Bad form.

Stegner has once again produced a beautiful book. I thoroughly enjoyed reuniting with Bo Mason. It has made me eager to revisit "Big Rock Candy Mountain" as this new work has reminded me of how wonderful a read it was. Additionally, I have the plan to read my all-time favorite, "Crossing to Safety," for the second time. The characters and stories in Stegner's books have a way of captivating me and drawing me in. His writing style is so engaging that I find myself completely immersed in the worlds he creates. I can't wait to embark on these reading adventures once again and discover new aspects and details that I may have missed the first time around.

“What is an event? What constitutes an experience? Are we what we do, or do we do what we are?” These profound questions are explored in Wallace Stegner's work. In this book, he revisits a character from The Big Rock Candy Mountain. Bruce, the sole survivor of the Mason family, is now a retired diplomat in 1977. He returns to Salt Lake City, where he spent his teenage years, to arrange his aunt's funeral. As he looks back on his adolescence, he comes to terms with his regrets and painful past. We are introduced to his abusive father, loving mother, supportive friend, and ex-girlfriend he intended to marry.

The story takes place over two days, with the narrative flowing seamlessly between the present and the past (1920s to 1930s). The writing is truly exquisite, character-driven, quiet, and contemplative. It contains poignant scenes that are easy to envision. Bruce feels how the unchronological past hovers just beyond the present, attaching itself to any sensory cue. Memory becomes instantly tangible, like a thrill of adrenalin in the blood or a prickle of gooseflesh on the arms.

This book is about memory and the choices that shape a person's life. It can be enjoyed for the pure poetry of the writing, but it is best read after The Big Rock Candy Mountain. Bruce discovers that memory has no calendar, and a sense of time must be forcibly imposed on it. Overall, it is a thought-provoking and beautifully written exploration of the human experience.

Thomas Wolfe wrote a novel, vividly illustrating the fact that we can't go home again.

In "Recapitulation", Wallace Stegner further delves into this theme and reveals to us the reason why, when we do attempt to go home again, it is probably wiser to simply remember the people, places, and times, and let the past stay in the past.

Bruce Mason left Salt Lake City at the age of 20 and now, 45 years later, he returns to preside over his aunt's burial. This occasion inevitably stirs up memories of the past, a complex blend of longing and disgust.

While back home, Bruce initially intends to look up his old friend Joe. However, in the end, he never gets around to it. In a poignantly symbolic conclusion, Bruce decides that the present and the future are of greater significance than any need or desire to look back.

There is a sense of closure in "Recapitulation", perhaps a coming to terms with the past. Bruce is in his 60s in the story, but by the end, Stegner implies that Bruce has finally chosen to release those aspects of his past that have long held him captive.

Noted author William Faulkner once wrote, suggesting that the past isn't finished with us; it hasn't even begun. But Wallace Stegner's Bruce Mason might counter that the past must be finished with us, or else there will be no future.