Train Dreams

I first saw a reference to this book in Louise Erdrich's The Sentence (on Tookie's list of Short Perfect Novels); I wouldn't say it was perfect, but I thought it was very good.

Early in the story, it's clear that Robert Grainier realizes his wife is sharper than he is. However, as is often the case with stories told from the perspective of a white man, I felt that the women and people of color were treated more as props than as interesting, even partially-developed characters.

Nevertheless, the book is haunting, funny, poetic, and beautifully written, with a great sense of setting. It is amazing how a character's life can be presented so vividly in about 100 pages. Excellent audiobook narration by Will Patton.

A man's hard life in Idaho panhandle, briefly carried from one near death to another.

An odd story that happens more outside its pages. Grainier represents a man whose world has passed. He lives apart, alone with his wild things, and waits for his life to expire and join everything he ever cared about. Johnson writes pretty prose from an informed perspective (the information about logging jobs is so natural it doesn't come off as an info dump, but as a way of cementing authenticity), but what I like most is how he defies the stereotypes. I also love the subdued romance, perfect for the character. It's a good story too, though not full of heavy scenes. Subtlety weighs more.