Kent harufs latest intimate portrayal of everyday lives, shortlisted for the. This book revisits some of the same characters found in previous works, most notably the crusty mcpheron brothers. In eventide haruf introduces three additional families to the mcpherons story, deftly juggling and sometimes overlapping the four family stories. Kent haruf is the author of five previous novels and, with the photographer peter brown, west of last chance. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of eventide by kent haruf.
In the hands of kent haruf, the incident is beautifully portrayed. Life has moved on from the last book so it was wonderful to catch up with the characters while at the same time being introduced to some new ones. When the mcpheron brothers see victoria roubideaux, the single mother theyd taken in, move from. Eventide by kent haruf by curlygeek04, june 22, 2016 i loved plainsong so ive been saving up eventide. Haruf shows a remarkable talent in viewing the world through the eyes of children. His first novel, the tie that binds, was published in 1984 and won a whiting writers prize. Two of harufs previous novels set in holt, plainsong and eventide, followed the same groups of characters, but benediction mentions them only in. Harufs sympathy for his characters, no matter how flawed they are, make this an uncommonly rich novel. Like his immensely popular plainsong 1999, kent harufs fourth novel, eventide, is set in the fictional town of holt, colorado, a rural community so small that people can safely leave their car. With real life characters, real life situations and skilled writing, author kent haruf lures the reader with hook, line and sinker into this genuine fictitious novel of rural living. Some of the characters from that first story return in major and minor roles.
What comes out of their mouths, whether it is kind, mean, ignorant, confused, intelligent or clouded by loneliness, is true and hard, spare as life on the plains. Kent haruf conjured an entire fictional town on the windswept colorado plains with his eyes wide shut. They built the place four years ago after the success of harufs beautiful novel. And it was harufs style to always type with his eyes closed. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of our souls at night by kent haruf. Luther and betty june wallace are some of harufs neediest and most beautifully drawn characters.
It is not only a wonderful character portrayal and a surprisingly good read, but like all the best american fiction, integrates its characters with the landscape. The american christian hymn abide with me, tis eventide by martin lowrie hofford. Eventide by kent haruf discussion guide penguin random. Plainsongs story of the bachelor farmers harold and raymond mcpheron taking in the pregnant teenager victoria roubideaux has a redemptive radiance that readers will long to see repeated in the new novel, eventide. Alongside tom and his two sons, kent haruf introduces several new characters from holt. Eventide plainsong series book 2 kindle edition by haruf, kent. He earned his bachelor of arts in literature from nebraska wesleyan university in 1965 and his masters of fine arts from the iowa writers workshop at the university of iowa in 1973. Eventide is a sequel to the 1999 plainsong, harufs wonderfully straighttalking debut novel about life and work in and around holt, colorado, a withering town long miles from denver and lightyears from the coasts.
Kent haruf, who has died aged 71, was a colorado author whose gently moving prose chronicled life in smalltown america. Mar 10, 20 kent harufs novels the tie that binds, where you once belonged, plainsong, eventide and now benediction present slices from life in the fictional town of. That the author can write about this diverse range of characters. Spring eventually does reach across the land, and how the people of eventide get there makes for an engrossing, profoundly moving novel rich in the wisdom, humor, and humanity for which kent haruf is justly acclaimed. Eventide is a beautiful work with moving characters captivating imagery and a clear. Eventide plainsong series book 2 kindle edition by haruf. Author interview kent haruf, author of eventide bookpage.
Eventide, a sequel to plainsong, was published in 2004. Kent haruf pulled a wool cap over his eyes when he sat down at his manual typewriter each morning so he could write blind, fully immersing himself in the fictitious small town in eastern. His first novel, the tie that binds, was about duty and its costs, and his best known novel, plainsong, was about transcending loneliness. Maggie jones shows her good sense and compassion again which is what made her such a wonderful teacher. Kent haruf, who found acclaim in midlife with a trilogy of sparely written novels, including the 1999 bestseller plainsong that illuminated the rhythms and dramas of smalltown life in americas. Haruf was born in pueblo, colorado, the son of a methodist minister. Holt is based on yuma, colorado, one of haruf s residences in the early 1980s. I dont want to rush through harufs books too quickly. The dry, cold air of colorados high plains seems to intensify the light kent haruf shines on every character in his masterful novel. Eventide is about courage and its sniveling evil twin, cowardice. Kent haruf, awardwinning, bestselling author of plainsong returns to t.
I find that harufs characters, like pierre and natasha or huck finn. How does kent haruf transform the mundane materials of his characters and setting into such an emotionally compelling story. One of the most beloved novels in recent years, plainsong was a bestseller from coast to coastand now kent haruf returns to the high plains community of holt, colorado, with a story of even more masterful authority. Kent harufs honors include a whiting foundation award and a special citation from the penhemingway foundation. Kent haruf was born in pueblo, colorado on february 24, 1943. But harufs characters, such as 11yearold orphan dj kephart, who cares for his retired railroad worker grandfather, and mary wells, whose. It weaves together several story lines, featuring a.
He received a ba from nebraska wesleyan university in 1965 and an mfa from the iowa writers workshop at the university of iowa in 1973. Harufs uncanny ability to stay out of his characters way is evident again in eventide. Alan kent haruf february 24, 1943 november 30, 2014 was an american novelist. In what ways does eventide deepen readers relationships with those characters who also inhabit harufs previous novel plainsong. A stirring meditation on the true nature and necessity of the family.
If you have read plainsong, in what ways does eventide deepen readers relationships with those characters who also inhabit harufs previous novel. Nov 30, 2014 kent haruf conjured an entire fictional town on the windswept colorado plains with his eyes wide shut. Haruf has once again demonstrated that he can push a tale featuring our western landscape beyond romanticized cowboy myth into distilled reality. Haruf, perhaps colorados most celebrated novelist, wrote plainsong, eventide and benediction by tapping away at an oldfashioned manual typewriter in his backyard writing shed. Eventide, inc, manufacturer of audio and broadcast, communications, and avionics equipment and software eventide, the tune most often associated with the christian hymn abide with me by henry francis lyte. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Readers of his novels plainsong, eventide and benediction know the place now. Kent haruf 19432014 was an american author of literary fiction novels. Plainsong is a 1999 novel by the american writer kent haruf 19432014.
Eventide by kent haruf book club discussion questions. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading eventide plainsong series book 2. Like his immensely popular plainsong 1999, kent haruf s fourth novel, eventide, is set in the fictional town of holt, colorado, a rural community so small that people can safely leave their car. Like all of kent harufs work, this novel is finely crafted to the point where it all seems deceptively simple. In 1965 he graduated with a ba from nebraska wesleyan. We return to the land of plainsong and eventide, but there are only a couple of faint references to the characters who absorbed our attention during those two novels. You dont want to duplicate what youve already done, he says.
Eventide and benediction he had written one of the masterpieces of contemporary american fiction. Eventide the second novel of the plainsong series sees victoria roubideaux leave the mcpherons as she heads off to college. Author kent haruf returns to the small rural town of holt, colorado with eventide. Rose is a tenderhearted social worker who has been through so much cruelty and pain since it seems she cannot put up that well to keep away the people who bring her suffering. Like plainsong, eventide is a beautiful work with moving characters captivating imagery and a clear view of humanity at its core. Kent haruf returns to smalltown colorado with another pitchperfect novel. When the mcpheron brothers see victoria roubideaux, the single mother theyd taken in, move from their ranch to begin college, an emptiness opens before them. Like his immensely popular plainsong 1999, kent haruf s fourth novel, eventide, is set in the fictional town of holt, colorado, a rural community so small that people can safely leave their car keys on the front seat. May 04, 2004 eventide continues harufs depiction of holt, colorado, begun in plainsong, of a small town with a wide range of humanity. May 09, 2004 eventide is a sequel to the 1999 plainsong, harufs wonderfully straighttalking debut novel about life and work in and around holt, colorado, a withering town long miles from denver and lightyears from the coasts.
In this high plains town we meet many of the characters that we grew to love in his previous book, plainsong. Kent haruf, acclaimed novelist of smalltown life, is dead. In the end i didnt enjoy eventide as much as plainsong, although ill certainly keep reading eventide is the second book in a trilogy that takes place in the small town of holt, colorado. Kent harufs novels the tie that binds, where you once belonged, plainsong, eventide and now benediction present slices from life in the fictional town of. His first novel, the tie that binds 1984, received a whiting award and a special hemingway foundationpen citation. He takes a simple community in northern colorado, fills it with real life characters and all their flaws, takes the reader through the trials of their lives and surprises us with a kindness that goes beyond our expectations that stays with the reader after the reading is done. Rocky mountain news harufs characters and his town loom as large as any in contemporary american fiction. Jun 22, 2016 eventide by kent haruf by curlygeek04, june 22, 2016. A unique and brilliant writer, kent harufs characters are so authentic that we gain insights into our own human condition, and our own emotional worlds. If benediction is the cap on a trilogy and kent haruf says its not, then its a trilogy by landscape, not character. Two old ranchers, raymond and harold mcpheron, act as surrogate parents to an unwed mother and her toddler.
Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Eventide is the second book in his plainsong series. Eventide continues harufs depiction of holt, colorado, begun in plainsong, of a small town with a wide range of humanity. The landscapes of personalities, behavior and lifestyles are as varied as the backdrop of this pastoral countryside. Among the several damaged families in this beautifully cadenced and understated tale is that of tom guthrie, a highschool history teacher in small holt, colorado, whos left to raise his two young sons, ike and bobby, alone when his troubled wife first withdraws from them and then, without explanation, abandons them. A novel of smalltown life in the high plains region around holt, colorado, follows the challenges, emotional upheaval, tragedies, and intertwined destinies of the local inhabitants as they cope with the changes they encounter.
They came up from the horse barn in the slanted light of early morning. Eventide plainsong series book 2 kindle edition by. Haruf rhymes with sheriff and his wife cathy live in a log house at an elevation of 8,500 feet, not far from downtown sedelia. Analysis and discussion of characters in kent harufs plainsong. When the mcpheron brothers see victoria roubideaux, the single mother. Victoria and the mcpherons are the main characters of eventide but certainly not its only characters. In the end i didnt enjoy eventide as much as plainsong, although ill certainly keep reading.
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