Read about another book on the list.Angle of Repose, by Wallace Stegner
Angle of Repose centers on Lyman Ward, a history professor confined to a wheelchair by a devastating bone disease. As Lyman comes to terms with his illness and disintegrated marriage, he finds purpose in exploring the lives of his grandparents through letters written by his grandmother, Susan. Spanning two centuries and the width of the North American continent, this book is a treatise on the recurring themes of life, and in particular, marriage. Compromise, self-discovery, betrayal, and bitter disappointment are all central figures in this grand, ambitious novel. Another main character is, of course, the West itself. Susan’s marriage to husband Oliver comes springing to life against a backdrop of pioneer camps and ore mines as the two follow a wayward path that winds throughout the frontier landscape. It’s a rough-yet-elegant novel that will leave you wistful for a time you’ve never known, and, I’m afraid, will do little to quell your budding Western addiction.
Angle of Repose is among Paula Fredriksen's five best books on sin and Andrea Wulf's six favorite books.
--Marshal Zeringue
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