East of the Mountains

By: David Guterson

Narrated by: Don Hastings

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the award-winning, bestselling author of Snow Falling on Cedars comes ”a strikingly joyful book and a monumental achievement” (The Philadelphia Inquirer) about a dying man’s final journey through the American West.

When he discovers that he has terminal cancer, retired heart surgeon Ben Givens refuses to simply sit back and wait. Instead he takes his two beloved dogs and goes on a last hunt, determined to end his life on his own terms. But as the people he meets and the memories over which he lingers remind him of the mystery of life’s endurance, his trek into the American West becomes much more than a final journey.

©1999 David Guterson (P)1999 Random House, Inc., Bantam Doubleday Dell Audio Publishing, A Division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“The shape is elegant, the tone is perfectly controlled, almost cool, and Guterson’s prose shines with [a] taut polish. . . .[He] is a craftsman with a sense of literary history, one of the most serious and accomplished young American writers.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“Profound and ambitious. . . . Guterson depicts . . . moral and spiritual struggle with a clear-eyed intensity and intelligence that gives East of the Mountains its essential authority.” —Chicago Tribune

“In describing the world of a dying man, Guterson invokes the ultimate book of suffering–then, to his great credit, offers it here as a consolation rather than despair.” –The Boston Sunday Globe

The Autumn of Life

This was recommended to me from a Hospice resident. I thought it was a wonderful adventure and a very human story.

Great premise, too short and missed opportunity

After reading Snow Falling on Cedars, I thought his would be as wonderful, and it was all the way up to the middle where it ended suddenly. It's as if the author got distracted by something else and just decided to end this without the depth it deserved.

Beautiful. Evocative.

David Guterson is a master storyteller. Paints a picture with words like no other. This book was narrated perfectly.

Narration is excellent. The

This is my first audio book. The reader's voice is excellent. The story is engaging and I found myself captivated listening.

Flawed but atmospheric

At the outset, i have a bone to pick with Amazon. I bought this in part because the graphic says "Performed by Edward Hermann" who is a fine actor. The reading was fine, but it's by Don Hastings- OK, but not Ed Hermann. I kinda feel ripped off.

Story of a dying doctor on what is ostensibly a suicide hunting trip. Spoiler - the trip doesn't go as intended. No one exactly pins down the year of the story, but based on thing the characters say, it's sometime mid to late 1990s. This makes the free spirited young couple in the VW bus seem misplaced in time by 20-30 years.

Gutterson does a great job describing scenery, the angst and excitement of young lust, and the flashbacks to WWII and the early 40s. I thought the plot stretched credibility at the dog scene (if you listen, you'll figure out the one I mean) and goes off the rails after the bus ride. Your mileage may vary.

If you are expecting Snow Falling on Cedars, this isn't it. Worth a listen but I'd wait for a sale rather than spend a credit. If you are a fan of Edward Hermann, don't bother.

Masterpiece

A full-bodied novel, haunting and true. A very emotional and memorable literature.

Don’t let the suicide theme turn you away.

This novel is remarkably filled with the joy of life. Beautifully and carefully written and filled with the sense of place and identity, Guterson’s novel pulls the everyday into some golden light before the readers’s eyes. I am so glad I found this book.

Very beautiful

Sad but very beautiful. A bit slow moving, but well-narrated enough to get you through the less compelling parts. David Guterson uses gorgeous language, even when the subject matter is hard-going.

Sometimes Your Best Intentions Don’t Materialize

A Seattle Wenatchee area story which I thoroughly enjoyed. I got this book because my brother recently died from pancreatic cancer and I wanted to explore narrative with similar life choices. Great delivery and story. Sometimes your goals don’t end up the way you had originally planned. Sometimes it’s not all just about you, but others. Ending was a little rushed though.

East of the Mountains

Contempletive.