Stegners books abide in an undervisited stretch of the american canon, like. The title of this novel is symbolic the search for the promise over the mountain frustrated dreams of power and wealth and happiness. So, when i picked up the big rock candy mountain, i wondered where i would place it among stegner s works. Pdf the big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner. Jun 01, 2020 the big rock candy mountain is the story of wallace stegners childhood, during which he bounced around various western spots including seattle, salt lake city and montana as well as eastend. Nov 28, 2017 wallace stegner 19091993 was the author of, among other novels, remembering laughter, 1937. The big rock candy mountain a novel by wallace stegnerarmed.
Big rock candy mountain is a family saga based partially on stegner s own family. The main characters of the big rock candy mountain novel are john, emma. Analysis big rock candy mountain 1943 wallace stegner 1909. In this engaging story, readers get the chance to meet the main character of bo mason and his family for the first time. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner penguin. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. This long book, written in 1943, is an extraordinary account of the post pioneering generations of the midwest, where we follow bo mason and his young wife elsa. Oct 05, 2011 the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner. Wallace stegner 19091993 published more than two dozen books throughout his life, including the novels angle of repose, which won the pulitzer prize. Bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a tr. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner is said to be the closest to an autobiographical account of his own childhood.
Big rock candy mountain 1943 wallace stegner 19091993 wallace stegner s latest book shows great advance in power and grasp over the shorter novels for which he is chiefly known, and is a much more satisfying example of regional fiction. Wallace stegner and the conflicted soul of the west the. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the big rock candy mountain. This long book, written in 1943, is an extraordinary account of the postpioneering generations of the midwest, where we follow bo mason and his young wife elsa. His fifth novel, the big rock candy mountain 1943, the story of an. Usually, when i pick up a stegner novel, it takes a good hundred pages or so of reading before i really get into the book with, perhaps, the exception of crossing to safety. This is the most important book wallace stegner has done, and he has been marked as a comer ever since his memorable novelette, remembering laughter.
Its a go and go again kind of journey, searching ever further afield for that one thing that will make you happy, always finding that it just slipped out of your fingers. The big rock candy mountain pdf book by wallace stegner read online or free download in epub, pdf or mobi ebooks. The big rock candy mountain oregon digital library. The big rock candy mountain by stegner, wallace seller peter l. The big rock candy mountain was published when stegner was only 34. Praised for its manyfaceted and intensely human characters and full of languid echoes, big rock candy mountain was one of stegner s most famous works, reflecting a childhood in which his family was forever shuttled across the west by a father pursuing the dream of an easy. In recapitulation, by national book award and pulitzer prize winner wallace stegner, the protagonist of his classic novel big rock candy mountain returns reluctantly to the salt lake city of his birth for the funeral of an auntthe last link to his familys history, and his own. The big rock candy mountain a novel by wallace stegner. Wallace stegner the big rock candy mountain audio book online. Notes from the editors limited editions from the franklin library the big rock candy mountain this is the booklet that was included with the original edition by editors of the franklin library wallace stegner and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Buy the big rock candy mountain by wallace earle stegner online at alibris. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner librarything. Big rock candy mountain first edition wallace stegner. He pulls his family around with him as he searches for the big opportunity that will make him.
He came from nowhere culturally and became a writer whose books were translated into. Wallace stegner bibliography department of history and. But there was a rock that set heavily on my heart as i read and the rock got bigger and bigger. This book is a sequel to the big rock candy mountain. Drifting from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks out his fortunein the hotel business, in new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rumrunning through the treacherous back roads of the american northwest. He was already a prolific writer, but this autobiographical novel. The quarantine has been a blessing in that i am reading from my tbr bookcase, and this is another gem. The book has been awarded with booker prize, edgar awards and many others. Long considered by most critics as stegner s fiction masterwork, angle of repose is a book quite as ambitious in its own way as the big rock candy mountain. The big rock candy mountain is a 1943 semiautobiographical novel by american writer wallace stegner. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner audiobook.
The semiautobiographical, the big rock candy mountain, follows the life of the mason familybo and elsa with their sons chester and bruceduring the early 20th century in the united states and canada. Email us to request a printed copy of our catalog of wallace stegner rare books. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are. The big rock candy mountain ebook written by wallace stegner. Big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner, first edition. Described by howard mumford jones as a vast, living, untidy book, the big rock candy mountain not unlike the novels of thomas wolfe though stegners is much better crafted and controlled than anything wolfe ever wrotehas a raw power that almost certainly comes straight out of stegners pain and love, and it contains some of the most beautifully written narrative passages in american literature. There was no candy on wallace stegners big rock candy mountain. Other articles where the big rock candy mountain is discussed. The franklin librarys first edition of this title, published by the franklin library in 1978. At 576 pages, with 10 parts that spanned the 1890s to 1930s, this is a long novel which made the trek up this mountain quite painful and at times almost unbearable. It was good to get some more closure on those characters. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 563 pages and is available in paperback format. It is certainly one of the best books ive ever read and a good qualifier for the american novel. The dust jacket is very slightly faded on the spine and has a few edition first edition.
Wallace stegner the big rock candy mountain audiobook. A defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times. Stegner s big rock candy mountain is, like most of his work, a bit dense, prosewise. Who has read the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner. But not a thereandbackagain book like bilbo baggins wrote. Bo chases after the promise of the american dream through.
In 1987, his tenth novel, crossing to safety, was published, 50 years after. The big rock candy mountain by stegner, wallace ebook. The first novel in the bruce mason series by wallace stegner is titled big rock candy mountain. Stegners most autobiographical work, the big rock candy mountain, yields. The big rock candy mountain is the story of a spiritual quest. The novel also matches stegners family history in some of the specific locatio. The big rock candy mountain bison book by wallace stegner. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner books on. Wallace stegners latest book shows great advance in power and grasp over the shorter novels for which he is chiefly known, and is a much more satisfying. Stegner was the founder and a distinguished creative writing professor at stanford university in california.
It follows the life of the mason family during the early 20th century in the united states and canada. The spectator bird, 1976 national book award, 1977. This is the emotionally gripping tale of fictional bo and elsa mason and their two sons, chester and bruce, with striking similarities to the childhood of stegner. Minor spotting on page ends otherwise book is in near fine condiiton. Wallace stegner portrays over three decades in the life of the mason family as they struggle to survive during the lean years of the early twentieth century. If those who have read it, why do you think this book wasnt that well. The big rock candy mountain contemporary american fiction. His father was hard to read about in both books, because he was harsh, unloving, and abusive. Reading fiction does not get better than reading wallace stegner 19091993. Editions of the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner. He is very insightful about a particular type of american character, which he depicts at some length in the novels protagonist, bo mason. Like the 1943 novel, angle of repose seeks to characterize a major part of the western experience by showing it through the eyes,actions, and feelings of individual human beings. Big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner abebooks.
Mar 01, 1991 reading fiction does not get better than reading wallace stegner 19091993. A defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times and the pulitzer prize. But it consists almost entirely of events in stegner s life, even actual conversations jackson bensons wallace stegner, his life and work is highly recommended as a companion piece. It follows the life of the mason family bo and elsa with their sons chester and bruce during the early 20th century in the united states and canada. Discover other books like this, author exclusives, and more. More exactly, stegners novel reveals the ambition, and like a tornado, he is immensely moral and.
Wallace stegner and the conflicted soul of the west the new york. Bo seeks the freedom of wideopen spaces with few social constraints. Drifing from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks outhis fortunein the hotel business, on new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rumrunning through the threacherous back. These two books are based on wallace stegner s real life, although they are fiction and the names are changed. All the little live things, 1967 commonwealth club gold medal. The big rock candy mountain by wallace earle stegner alibris. Full leather edition published in 1978 by the franklin library. The big rock candy mountain is the story of wallace stegners. Free download or read online the big rock candy mountain pdf epub book. Drifing from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks outhis fortunein the hotel business, on new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rumrunning through the threacherous back roads of the american northwest.
Wallace stegner and the conflicted soul of the west the new. May contain limited notes, underlining or highlighting that does affect the text. Bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair. An early environmentalist, stegner was instrumentalwith his now famous wilderness letterin the passage of the 1964 wilderness act. Buy a cheap copy of the big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner. In this affecting narrative, a defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times, wallace stegner portrays more than. It follows the life of the mason family during the early. A defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times and the pulitzer prizewinning author of angle of repose and crossing to safety bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair. The big rock candy mountain, wallace stegner julie christine. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner goodreads. Jan 27, 2017 the big rock candy mountain, stegners fifth book, was this months book club selection. The big rock candy mountain contemporary american fiction by wallace stegner and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Each of the three principal characters is searching for his or her own eden. Wallace stegner, who lived from 19091993, was born in iowa.
Though less wellknown than his celebrated novels, angle of repose and crossing to safety, his earlier novel the big rock candy mountain, is nothing less than a masterpiece. First edition of stegner s popular semiautobiographical novel. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner, paperback. Its a tough start, but repays effort after the first couple of chapters. Crying for the shed possibility this pair needed to love as well as appreciate each other and just how pleased i am that my marital. His pulitzer prize winner, angle of repose 1971 is my favorite novel, and the earlier big rock candy mountain 1943 hereafter brcm is an equally moving book. Sep 11, 2009 the big rock candy mountain is a western book. Published in 1943 the book become immediate popular and critical acclaim in fiction, historical books. The term regional is a belittling characterization typical of new york critics. The big rock candy mountain a novel by wallace stegner 1943 paperback 510 pages armed services edition condensed for wartime reading book measures approximately. Big rock candy mountain, signed, franklin library abebooks. We opted away from the angle of repose because several of us had already read it. The spell of mountain and prairie stegner, wallace. There is no onesentence way to summarize stegner s somewhat autobiographical brcm.
Email us to request a printed copy of our catalog of wallace stegner rare books and first editions or download it via the link as a 2. The big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner. Drifting from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks out his fortunein the hotel business, in new farmland, and. The big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner thriftbooks. Most of the gals in the club had read and liked crossing to safety and thought it was time we try another of his books. In this affecting narrative, a defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times, wallace stegner portrays more than three decades in the. The first edition of the novel was published in 1943, and was written by wallace stegner. The big rock candy mountain novel by stegner britannica. Possible ex library copy, will have the markings and stickers associated from the library. The fictional family in the book, like stegners family during his childhood, frequently moves to different cities in pursuit of various financial schemes that never work out. This is the stegner book that should have won pulitzer.
622 64 33 711 165 434 1527 281 1454 892 807 1235 1251 1435 1305 1236 1775 722 1720 22 1113 126 913 1571 1836 1309 864