Hailed as one of the year's top five novels by Time, and selected as one of the best books of the year by nearly all major newspapers, national bestseller Peace Like a River captured the hearts of a nation in need of comfort. "A rich mixture of adventure, tragedy, and healing," Peace Like a River is "a collage of legends from sources sacred and profane -- from the Old Testament to the Old West, from the Gospels to police dramas" (Ron Charles, The Christian Science Monitor). In "lyrical, openhearted prose" (Michael Glitz, The New York Post), Enger tells the story of eleven-year-old Reuben Land, an asthmatic boy who has reason to believe in miracles. Along with his sister and father, Reuben finds himself on a cross-country search for his outlaw older brother who has been controversially charged with murder. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers, and its remarkable conclusion shows how family, love, and faith can stand up to the most terrifying of enemies, the most tragic of fates. Leif Enger's "miraculous" (Valerie Ryan, The Seattle Times) novel is a "perfect book for an anxious time ... of great literary merit that nonetheless restores readers' faith in the kindness of stories" (Marta Salij, Detroit Free Press).
Amazon.com's Best of 2001: To the list of great American child narrators that includes Huck Finn and Scout Finch, let us now add Reuben "Rube" Land, the asthmatic 11-year-old boy at the center of Leif Enger's remarkable first novel, Peace Like a River. Rube recalls the events of his childhood, in small-town Minnesota circa 1962, in a voice that perfectly captures the poetic, verbal stoicism of the northern Great Plains. "Here's what I saw," Rube warns his readers. "Here's how it went. Make of it what you will." And Rube sees plenty.
In the winter of his 11th year, two schoolyard bullies break into the Lands' house, and Rube's big brother Davy guns them down with a Winchester. Shortly after his arrest, Davy breaks out of jail and goes on the lam. Swede is Rube's younger sister, a precocious writer who crafts rhymed epics of romantic Western outlawry. Shortly after Davy's escape, Rube, Swede, and their father, a widowed school custodian, hit the road too, swerving this way and that across Minnesota and North Dakota, determined to find their lost outlaw Davy. In the end it's not Rube who haunts the reader's imagination, it's his father, torn between love for his outlaw son and the duty to do the right, honest thing. Enger finds something quietly heroic in the bred-in-the-bone Minnesota decency of America's heartland. Peace Like a River opens up a new chapter in Midwestern literature. --Claire Dederer
different voices of characters The prose is so beautiful and the poetry the daughter writes is wonderful. That one author could write the prose and the poetry too is amazing! Each character has a distinct voice which is not true in so many stories. I loved this book.
Among best books This book has everything...extraordinary writing, a good plot, wonderful characters, range of emotions--from sadness to elation, pathos, poignancy. It is a great read. Have read many books this summer and this one continues to be among those I treasured most.
Great Read! Just finished this book and loved it all the way through to its fantastic ending. What a storyteller.... I highly recommend this for everyone to read!
One of my favorite novels ever I didn't want this book to end. I savored the last few chapters and made them last. I went to bed early to read because I enjoyed this book so much. My favorite thing about this book was the voice it is told in. The protagonist/narrator is so down to earth, self effacing, and interesting. I just bought Mr. Enger's second book. I hope it is as good. I hope you enjoy it too!
here's what I saw; here's how it went.. As the almost 400th reviewer, I won't rehash the story line (and certainly won't give the plot away like some). I'm a late comer to this book, and sorry I didn't find it sooner. I really loved this book! Would've given it 4.5 if I could've.
I LOVED Enger's dialogue; can't understand how some could slam it so. I loved his point of view--Reuben's as a child yet told as an adult looking back, and writing directly to the reader, asking us questions about what we thought along the way or suggesting we consider what we might do. Yes, Swede seemed much older than her years at times, especially in her epic poetry skills, but I LOVED Sunny Sundown's story and its meter and rhyme so much (the first half moreso than the latter) that I was more than willing to suspend disbelief regarding her age, as well as her advanced vocabulary at other times in the story. Jeremiah was such an honorable man that I couldn't help but love him. Case in point: when Reuben fears everyone he loves may never forgive him for a hard decision he made, he says of his father, "In this picture I saw no forgiveness for myself--not from Davy, not from Swede, not from anyone but Dad, who was so forgiving it almost didn't count." Enger made me wonder if Swede ever truly would, or even could, forgive Rube. That would be unbearable. The decisions Davy and Reuben made, right or wrong, are accompanied by extreme consequences, as often happens in life. One of Rube's lies to save his brother brings on more devastation that he could have wished or imagined. I liked Reuben so much that I really felt for him. He was only 12, after all, and doing what he thought best.
The only parts I could have done without were some meanderings about historical figures, Butch Cassidy, the Youngers, etc. Swede was into these and drew Reuben in, but I would have appreciated a much more succinct version of the stories because I was so into the Land family, and these bunny trails slowed the pace of their trials and adventures. I easily accepted the miracles, no matter their strangeness (the walking on air), except for the healing of the saddle. Not sure why that one occurred. Also the revival service--I never did quite understand the point of that one. I do understand, though, unlike some other reviewers, why miracles that could have helped with some of the afflictions, like Reuben's asthma, were not forthcoming. Jeremiah did not go around just fixing everything he wanted to by his own power in his own will, or he certainly would have healed his son. He listened for God's will and did it. This is implied in the story, not told outright. (This is what also confused me about the saddle healing--why?) Swede (possibly in her adulthood) had a fabulous take on miracles: "People fear miracles because they fear being changed--though ignoring them will change you also.... No miracle happens without a witness. Someone to declare, Here's what I saw. Here's how it went. Make of it what you will." Make what you will of Peace Like a River. As for me, it was a great read by a great author. In my humble opinion, with a teeny bit more editing it would've been perfect.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Tony's Online Tips
Trevor
