Five Skies by Ron Carlson is a story about work, personal worth and heart break. Three men on a useless construction project to satisfy a reality TV show try to resolve their lives and get back to the next thing.
Carlson's fame is of a short story rider. Many of his chapters in this book could easily be a complete short story with some minor modifications. He loves the mountains and the skies and so does his characters.
The story moves along well. The majority of the writing is about the lives, thoughts and hurts of three men -- One older, one in the middle and the young one. It is a man's story of power tools and big machinery and few words. It is written from the male point of view.
Interesting to have read After River (female point of view) and then Five Skies (male point of view). Could be an interesting paper just from those two books (both written in last couple years). Yes, one could find the differences but one could also find how alike the sexes are in pain and heart break and how each deals with it.
The other interesting paper could be considering a female (or male) author writing fiction trying to "feel" the other sex. As a male is it possible to completing understand being a mother? As a female is it possible to feel that sense of responsibility society has dumped on the male role? In both books the main characters are of the same sex as the author but there other characters who have a role in the story.
Good summer read - a bit on the depressing side but not horrible. The good guys win the long run and life moves through its struggles and then moves to the next thing.
Have fun and visit a library or museum today.
No comments:
Post a Comment