The big rock candy mountain 1991 edition open library. The big rock candy mountain by stegner, wallace seller peter l. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 563 pages and is available in paperback format. Wallace stegner portrays over three decades in the life of the mason family as they struggle to survive during the lean years of the early twentieth century. 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.
Wallace stegner bibliography department of history and. The big rock candy mountain ebook written by wallace stegner. The book has been awarded with booker prize, edgar awards and many others. Wallace stegner shows the beauty of the world and people and the hardness of both. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner books on. Big rock candy mountain is a family saga based partially on stegner s own family. His compelling drive to search for and find that mythical big rock candy mountain of contentment is constantly stymied by his violent frustrations, bluster, fears, insecurities, and dreams.
Bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a tr. Wallace stegner was born on february 18, 1909 in lake mills, iowa. The big rock candy mountain bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair. Wallace stegner wrote this book in the early 1940s about his life growing up in a variety of western settings. Possible ex library copy, will have the markings and stickers associated from the library.
Later it became a childrens song about a magical place where everything is sweet and tasty and made completely of candy. Bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a transient life of poverty and. It follows the life of the mason family during the early. Wallace stegner and the conflicted soul of the west the new. He has taught and directed at the american academy of dramatic art. Bo mason, his wife, and his two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair. Jan 27, 2017 the big rock candy mountain, stegners fifth book, was this months book club selection. The big rock candy mountain, living and writing in the west and beyond the hundredth meridian earned him millions of followers in his life time. During this period stegner developed a friendship with bernard devoto, which grew over the years, culminating in stegner s writing a biography of devoto and editing a volume of devotos letters. All of stegner s fiction starts from his own experience, but the big rock candy mountain is the. Based largely on his own childhood, stegner has created a masterful, harrowing saga of a family trying to survive during the lean years of the early 20th century.
The big rock candy mountain bison book by wallace stegner. This long book, written in 1943, is an extraordinary account of the postpioneering generations of the midwest, where we follow bo mason and his young wife elsa. Wallace stegner s great, obsessive theme, evidenced in all of his novels, from the first, remembering laughter 1938, to the latest, recapitulation 1979, is the hard, painful. Wallace stegner, quote from the big rock candy mountain. Wallace stegner the big rock candy mountain audiobook. Your purchase supports more than words, a nonprofit job training program for youth, empowering youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business. The big rock candy mountain pdf book by wallace stegner read online or free download in epub, pdf or mobi ebooks. Wallace initially opposed the creation of a hiking path near his home but mary stegner confided that her husband later came to enjoy walking on it, and the path was eventually named for him posthumously, in 2008. The quarantine has been a blessing in that i am reading from my tbr bookcase, and this is another gem. The frontier mythand after reading stegner s work youll realize it is to a certain extent a mythis perhaps the single defining attribute of what it means to be american. I also remember being very disturbed by misery by stephen king. The big rock candy mountain audiobook, written by wallace. Crying for the lost chance this couple had to love and respect each other and how happy i am that my marriage is nothing like this.
The big rock candy mountain is the book that should have won stegner the pulitzer prize long before he wrote angle of repose. Free download or read online the big rock candy mountain pdf epub book. Aug 26, 2012 the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner posted on august 26, 2012 by robert earle i dont know why it has taken me so long to read my way through wallace stegner s fiction, and it feels odd to be giving a novel published in 1943 such high marks as a compelling narrative that captures some of the rougher times in american history so. The big rock candy mountain libe by stegner, wallace. All the little live things, 1967 commonwealth club gold medal. First edition cover the big rock candy mountain is a 1943 semiautobiographical novel by american writer wallace stegner. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner crossing to. But it consists almost entirely of events in stegner s life, even actual conversations jackson bensons wallace stegner, his life and work is highly recommended as a companion piece. Jun 09, 2010 the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner unabridged audio book read by mark bramhall when her widowed father marries her best friend sarah, elsa norgaard, disgusted, moves from her minnesota home to her uncle carls house in hardanger, north dakota. The big rock candy mountain book by wallace earle stegner 8. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner librarything.
This is the emotionally gripping tale of fictional bo and elsa mason and their two sons, chester and bruce, with striking similarities to the childhood of stegner. You can also purchase this book from a vendor and ship it to our address. The big rock candy mountain by stegner, wallace ebook. Chicago turabian humanities citation style guide stegner, wallace, 19091993, the big rock candy mountain. While at harvard, stegner completed the big rock candy mountain, which was published in 1945. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner penguin.
The big rock candy mountain paperback liberty bay books. Nov 28, 2017 wallace stegner 19091993 was the author of, among other novels, remembering laughter, 1937. Drifing from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks outhis fortunein the hotel business, on new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rumrunning through the threacherous back. Elsa norgaard mason is the force of stability, a loving mother of two boys who might well be one of the most sympathetic characters in american literature, whose qualitieswould get you saintliness, but never greatness. Stegner eloquently expresses in many of his books and essay. Stegners books abide in an undervisited stretch of the american canon, like a. Bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a life of poverty and desperation that is transien. Wallace stegner and the conflicted soul of the west the new york.
Its a tough beginning, but pays back initiative after the first number of chapters. The big rock candy mountain is a 1943 semiautobiographical novel by american writer wallace stegner. Buy a cheap copy of the big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner. Praised for its manyfaceted and intensely human characters and full of languid echoes, big rock candy mountain was one of stegners most famous works, reflecting a childhood in which his family was forever shuttled across the west by a father pursuing the dream of an easy life that was always just out of reach. The big rock candy mountain oregon digital library. In 1987, his tenth novel, crossing to safety, was published, 50 years after. He was the youngest son in the family and had the misfortune to be a sensitive, fearful child and the frequent target of his fathers anger. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner unabridged. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner, paperback. This is the stegner book that should have won pulitzer. But not a thereandbackagain book like bilbo baggins wrote. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner paperback. The big rock candy mountain wallace stegner the big rock candy mountain. Oct 05, 2011 the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner.
Jun 01, 2020 the big rock candy mountain is the story of wallace stegners childhood, during which he bounced around various western spots including seattle, salt lake city and montana as well as eastend. Chicago turabian author date citation style guide stegner, wallace, 19091993. Pdf the big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner. Bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair.
A defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times and the pulitzer prize winning author of angle of repose and crossing to safety bo mason, his wife, elsa, and their two boys live a transient life of poverty and despair. Big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner, first edition. Described by howard mumford jones as a vast, living, untidy book, the big rock candy mountain not unlike the novels of thomas wolfe though stegners is much better crafted and controlled than anything wolfe ever wrotehas a raw power that almost certainly comes straight out of stegners pain and love, and it contains some of the most beautifully written narrative passages in american literature. First edition of stegners popular semiautobiographical novel. Its a tough start, but repays effort after the first couple of chapters. The big rock candy mountain book by wallace stegner. Choose from contactless same day delivery, drive up and. If that is true, my heart aches for the little boy that was wallace stegner. Its a go and go again kind of journey, searching ever further afield for that one thing that will make you happy, always finding that it just slipped out of your fingers. Stegners most autobiographical work, the big rock candy mountain, yields insights. While reading the big rock candy mountain in my bedroom i came down and was talking to my husband about the book and crying.
The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner, 1991, penguin books edition, in english. The big rock candy mountain has 8 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Wallace stegner and the conflicted soul of the west the. Internet archive open library book donations 300 funston avenue san francisco, ca 94118 better world books.
A collection of wallace stegner quotes about life, western culture, wisdom, youth, friendship etc. It is the conflict between the hardscrabble existence and bos pursuit of the frontier myth and of the american dream that gives the book such resonance and power. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner signed first. An early environmentalist, stegner was instrumentalwith his now famous wilderness letterin the passage of the 1964 wilderness act. The main characters of the big rock candy mountain novel are john, emma. Editions of the big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner. Big rock candy mountain was a traveling song about people on the move searching for work and adventure during the great depression. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. We opted away from the angle of repose because several of us had already read it. This long book, written in 1943, is an extraordinary account of the post pioneering generations of the midwest, where we follow bo mason and his young wife elsa.
The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner robert earle. The first edition of the novel was published in 1943, and was written by wallace stegner. A collection of short essays on significant issues earned him the famous national book. The big rock candy mountain captures the drive, much lost in recent years, towards the frontiers of our existence. Published in 1943 the book become immediate popular and critical acclaim in fiction, historical books. The spectator bird, 1976 national book award, 1977. Bo seeks the freedom of wideopen spaces with few social constraints. Most of the gals in the club had read and liked crossing to safety and thought it was time we try another of his books. Fast and free shipping free returns cash on delivery available on eligible purchase. Each of the three principal characters is searching for his or her own eden. The spell of mountain and prairie stegner, wallace.
Like the 1943 novel, angle of repose seeks to characterize a major part of the western experience by showing it through the eyes,actions, and feelings of individual human beings. Stegner s big rock candy mountain is, like most of his work, a bit dense, prosewise. Stegners big rock candy mountain is, like most of his work, a little bit thick, prosewise. Wallace stegner, who lived from 19091993, was born in iowa. Fullcolor illustrations bring this traditional song to life. Stegner was the founder and a distinguished creative writing professor at stanford university in california. First edition of stegner s popular semiautobiographical novel. Each peak of success takes him a little bit higher, and each valley sinks. Fellows are regarded as working artists, intent upon. In 1943, wallace stegner published an autobiographical novel titled the big rock candy mountain. For awhile after i read it i swore off of his books because it felt like he was going for gruesome just for shock value and not because it made the.
I love wallace stegner, but i could not finish big rock candy mountain because of the fathers abuse of the son who was different. Stegners settings range from academia and the literary world to mining. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the big rock candy mountain. The main characters of this fiction, historical story are. He is very insightful about a particular type of american character, which he depicts at some length in the novels protagonist, bo mason. Wallace stegner 19091993 was the author of, among other novels, remembering laughter, 1937. The big rock candy mountain contemporary american fiction by stegner, wallace. Unique among writing programs, stanford offers ten twoyear fellowships each year, five in fiction and five in poetry. Drifing from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks outhis fortunein the hotel business, on new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rumrunning through the threacherous back roads of the american northwest. The big rock candy mountain is stegner s fictional telling of his troubled familys search for wealth and happiness in the farflung canadian and american west. In this affecting narrative, a defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times, wallace stegner portrays more than three decades in the life of the mason family as they struggle to survivle during the lean years of the early twentieth century. The big rock candy mountain book by wallace earle stegner.
The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner goodreads. Long considered by most critics as stegner s fiction masterwork, angle of repose is a book quite as ambitious in its own way as the big rock candy mountain. Father bo mason reaches for the big scorethe candy mountain in north dakota, saskatchewan, montana, and utah, including running a bootlegging operation during prohibition. It follows the life of the mason family bo and elsa with their sons chester and bruce during the early 20th century in the united states and canada. Notes from the editors limited editions from the franklin library the big rock candy mountain this is the booklet that was included with the original edition by editors of the franklin library wallace stegner and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. May contain limited notes, underlining or highlighting that does affect the text. He pulls his family around with him as he searches for the big opportunity that will make him financially independent. The big rock candy mountain, stegners fifth book, was this months book club selection. He published a further autobiographical work in 1992 entitled where the bluebird sings to the lemonade springs, a reference to a line in the song. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner is said to be the closest to an autobiographical account of his own childhood. Among the novels are, the big rock candy mountain, 1943. The big rock candy mountain washoe county library system. In this affecting narrative, a defining masterpiece by the dean of western writers the new york times, wallace stegner portrays more than.
Wallace stegner s wife, mary, said that wallace would disapprove of the fuss surrounding the issue. Ive read commentary indicating that big rock candy mountain is largely autobiographical. Drifting from town to town and from state to state, the violent, ruthless bo seeks his fortune in the hotel business, in new farmland, and, eventually, in illegal rumrunning throughout the treacherous back roads of the american northwest. Complete summary of wallace stegner s the big rock candy mountain. The big rock candy mountain by wallace stegner audiobook. The semiautobiographical, the big rock candy mountain, follows the life of the mason familybo and elsa with their sons chester and bruceduring the early 20th century in the united states and canada. Sep 11, 2009 the big rock candy mountain is a western book. Stegners big rock candy mountain is, like most of his work, a bit dense, prosewise.
725 379 1598 986 114 1588 1585 1592 1088 1677 111 1850 578 833 1681 1497 45 510 1740 760 590 1350