Driftless

accurate settings

Being a retired Wisconsin farm wife, I found the settings and the stories most accurate and true to life. We were members of the NFO and my husband escaped alive from an accident similar to the one at the end. Excellent writing that holds one interest and attention to detail makes you feel as if you have know the characters all your life. I really enjoyed the book.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Keeper

You'll drift into Words, Wisconsin and want to linger. Rhodes's writing feels like a soft blanket. You'll recognize yourself and/or your friends and family in his characters. Reminiscent of Steinbeck in his setting descriptions. It'll be a read and reread keeper. Enjoy.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Highly Recommended - I'm ordering his earlier books today - all 3 of them

Wonderful use of language - reminds me of Wallace Stegner who with Steinbeck are my favorite authors. Great highly differentiated and believable characters and a twisty plot. I'm reading it for a second time to enjoy the language now that I know the plot and characters. It's that good. Just ordered it for my sister. Hope the earlier books (written 30 years ago) are even almost as good. (He was in a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed after his first three acclaimed novels.) This book has NOTHING to do with his paralysis or struggle back - pure fiction. Very pure.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Driftless

A complex array of characters, interestingly intertwined, in a well described rural setting. Occasionally the characters' decisions or behavior stretch the imagination a bit, but in general one can identify with them and their struggles, emotional, spiritual, and economic. I actually got very drawn in, and finished the book in record time. The accident near the end might seem contrived to people with no experience with farming, but I have known 2 such accidents, so I'm sure they are not infrequent.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

great book!

I loved this book and would reccomend it to anyone. I read it in
short spurts and savored it like a good wine. Reads like poetry and
I have saved it to read again. Ordered his other older books. Love
the way he writes!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

A story that lives inside you long after it is read...

After reading this novel, I am convinced that I carry the genetic memory of grandparents (who left Gillingham WI for Madison many, many years ago). While I visit Hart's Hollow regularly, I am an outsider. An alien from "the big city". Despite my tenuous ties to the driftless area, this book haunted me... It describes "unincorporated Wisconsin" with eerie accuracy. Its description of the culture was both warmly familiar and oddly disturbing. It is one of those books that is unassuming while you read it, but it lives in your soul. Little bits float to the surface of your thoughts every so often. Just a tib-bit for you to chew on long after the book has been read.

highly recommend

If you're familiar with the driftless area of Wisconsin, this book is like finding the motherlode of morel mushrooms in the woods. I savored every word.

Wonderful Book!!!

Loved this book and would recomend it to anyone. Reads like poetry.
Will keep it to read again. Have ordered his older books.

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