Dec 07, 2012 wallace stegner 19091993 may be better known for his 1972 pulitzer prizewinner, angle of repose, but its his last novel, crossing to safety, which quietly celebrated its 25th anniversary. It was so well written, his prose was economical but so evocative. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner penguin books. Since then ive read many more books by him, and this is still my favorite stegner.
Stegner takes a long look backat four decades of a foursomes lifein a novel that at moments is beguiling, though at others it labors for its theme. Apr 26, 2019 i would start with crossing to safety. Crossing to safety modern library classics by wallace stegner, terry. Civilisations grow by agreements and accommodations and accretions, not by repudiations. Reviewed in the united states on december 11, 2012. It made a deep impression that has lingered over the years. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The year is 1972, and 64yearold author and college professor, larry morgan and his crippled wife, sally, journey from albuquerque to enjoy again the hospitality of their friends, sidney and charity lang, at battell pond, vermont. Crossing to safety by wallace stenger is the kind of book that you read once in a life time. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner random house 368 pp. Crossing to safety by wallace earle stegner, publishers.
In crossing to safety, stegner explores the mysteries of friendship, and it. Indeed, for many years i had the following quote from it on my work whiteboard. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. Buy crossing to safety penguin modern classics by stegner, wallace, smiley, jane from amazons fiction books store. Wallace stegner, who also wrote short stories, essays, biographies and histories. Crossing to safety is a 1987 semiautobiographical novel by the dean of western writers, wallace stegner. His final novel, crossing to safety is the quiet yet stirring tale of two couples that meet during the great depression and form a lifelong bond. Wallace stegner books list of books by author wallace. Crossing to safety wallace stegner introduction bccls. Crossing to safety is the last novel by american author wallace stegner. In the following years he published works of fiction and 10 books of nonfiction. Nothing much happened plot wise but that did not detract from the fact that this book was one that could simply not be put down. Wallace stegner books list of books by author wallace stegner. Wallace stegner gives us plenty of possible answers to that question in his novel crossing to safety.
Crossing to safety is an oldfashioned novel about a traditional subject, friendship, and what it means in the lives of four people who experience it. Crossing to safety is a 1987 semiautobiographical novel by wallace stegner. Charity and sid lang are a well to do couple, with two children, from the east, while larry who narrates the story and sally morgan are a far poorer couple from the west. Crossing to safety tells an american tale of two couples who form a lifelong bond extending from the great.
Using a series of flashbacks in the mind of a writer, larry morgan, throughout a single day, the novel is a reflection on youth, idealism, and the often unarticulated but lifelong process of compromise one must endure while seeking a stable place in the world. Written from the perspective of the aging larry morgan,crossing to safety is a beautiful and deeply moving exploration of the struggle of four. See all books authored by wallace stegner, including crossing to safety, and angle of repose, and more on. Wallace stegners luminous prose and subtle, nuanced story of relationships make crossing to safety one of my favorite books and, i believe, stegners best work. As i approach 70, i am uncomfortably aware that my generation regards. Not only a book of a lifetime, crossing to safety is a book that comes at the end of a long lifetime of writing. Introduction by terry tempest williams afterword by t. Wallace stegner s luminous prose and subtle, nuanced story of relationships make crossing to safety one of my favorite books and, i believe, stegner s best work. Crossing to safety by stegner, first edition abebooks. Crossing to safety was the selection for my book clubs august meeting crossing to safety by wallace stegner, fiction released 1987 bottom line.
Crossing to safety by wallace stegner a life in books. See more ideas about wallace stegner, angle of repose and books. It gained broad literary acclaim and commercial popularity. The year is 1972, and 64yearold author and college professor, larry morgan and his crippled wife, sally, journey from albuquerque to enjoy again the hospitality of their friends, sidney and. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner, 97801494954, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Wallace stegner 19091993 was the author of, among other novels, all the little live things winner of a commonwealth club gold medal, angle of repose winner of the pulitzer prize, and the spectator bird winner of the national book. Its his most accessible book, a warm, charming story that allows the reader to familiarize herself with his signature style of one chapter past tense, one chapter present tense, one chapter past tense, etc. This book is a compilation of three of his most famous worksthe pulitzer prize winning angle of repose, the national book award winning the spectator bird, and the awardwinning crossing to safety. Dec 05, 2008 not only a book of a lifetime, crossing to safety is a book that comes at the end of a long lifetime of writing. Tracing the lives, loves, and aspirations of two couples who move between vermont. Larry and sally meet sid and charity in 1938 when larry and sid are english professors in madison, wisconsin. The characters burrow into your heart, and stegners prose, as one critic put it, is prismatic, lush and painterly. I first read crossing to safety, my first book by wallace stegner, in august 20.
Crossing to safety by wallace stegner fab book club. Nearly two decades ago, i read wallace stegners angle of repose. As i approach 70, i am uncomfortably aware that my generation regards very young writers with suspicion verging on. Signed by the author, wallace stegner, on the first blank page. Since the final scenes of their story are in 1972 at sid and charitys vermont home, their friendship endures thirtyplus years of. Morgans have traveled to visit charity lang, now dying of cancer. Wallace stegner, in full wallace earl stegner, born feb. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner pagesofjulia.
We deliver the joy of reading in 100% recyclable packaging with free. Not just civilisations, i thought, but marriages, teams, organisations. The son of scandinavian immigrants, he traveled with his parents and brother all over the west to north dakota, washington, saskatchewan, montana, and wyomingbefore settling in salt lake city in 1921. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner modern mrs darcy. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read crossing to safety.
The son of scandinavian immigrants, he traveled with his parents and brother all over the westto north dakota, washington, saskatchewan, montana, and wyomingbefore settling in salt lake city in 1921. Jun 25, 2014 crossing to safety chronicles the 35year friendship amicitia between two couples, which started in madison, wisconsin, in 1937. Angle of repose, the spectator bird, crossing to safety by. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner, paperback barnes. In crossing to safety, stegner explores the mysteries of friendship, and it extends stegner s distinguished body of work that had already earned him a pulitzer prize for 1971s angle of repose and the national book award for. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner 1987 24 replies this is the latest in a series of occasional posts featuring books i read years ago about which i was wildly enthusiastic at the time, wanting to press a copy in as many hands as i could. How do you make a book that anyone will read out of lives as quiet as these. Crossing to safety wallace stegner, 1987 random house 368 pp. This book comes from a collection of 250 volumes of signed easton press and franklin library. Sep 20, 1987 crossing to safety by wallace stegner.
If you love a beautifully crafted novel and find joy in the written word, this masterpiece is a must read. Crossing to safety modern library classics paperback april 9, 2002. All his writings are informed by a deep sense of the american experience and the potential, which he termed the geography of promise, that the west symbolizes. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures.
Crossing to safety modern library classics kindle edition by. Wallace stegner 19091993 may be better known for his 1972 pulitzer prizewinner, angle of repose, but its his last novel, crossing to safety, which quietly celebrated its. Read online for free crossing to security by wallace stegner epub. Theres a world of new ideas in every books newsletter. Learn about some lasting friendships, book club questions, what our group thought, themes, characters and more crossing to safety by wallace stegner. Wallace stegner was born in 1909 in lake mills, iowa. Dec 18, 2007 crossing to safety ebook written by wallace stegner. Wallace stegner 19091993 was the author of, among other novels, all the little live things winner of a commonwealth club gold medal, angle of repose winner of the pulitzer prize, and the spectator bird winner of the national book award. John wesley powell and the second opening of the west. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner penguin books australia. Please email if you d like to see the complete list or some photos. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner ebooks download city. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner posted on april 7, 2014 by pagesofjulia in the fine tradition of for whom the bell tolls and of mice and men, crossing to safety borrows its title from poetry in this case, robert frost.
When you stand outside a door and push the button, something has to happen. Apr 09, 2020 wallace stegner, american author of fiction and historical nonfiction set mainly in the western united states. In crossing to safety, stegner explores the mysteries of friendship, and it extends stegners distinguished body of work that had already earned him a pulitzer prize for 1971s angle of repose and the national book award for. Wallace earle stegner february 18, 1909 april, 1993 was an american novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, often called the dean of western writers. Apr 07, 2014 crossing to safety by wallace stegner posted on april 7, 2014 by pagesofjulia in the fine tradition of for whom the bell tolls and of mice and men, crossing to safety borrows its title from poetry in this case, robert frost. This novel is about two couples whose lives have been intertwined for years. Larry morgan and his wife sally are young westerners who, one day in depressionpoor 1937, arrive in madison, wisconsin, where larry is to take a oneyear teaching post at the university of wisconsin. Wallace stegner, quote from crossing to safety there is nothing like a doorbell to precipitate the potential into the kinetic. The story of larry and sally morgan and charity and sid langs lifelong friendship, which began during larry and sids teaching jobs at the university of wisconsin in the 1930s. Sep 02, 20 crossing to safety was the selection for my book clubs august meeting crossing to safety by wallace stegner, fiction released 1987 bottom line.
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