• This House of Sky

  • Landscapes of a Western Mind
  • By: Ivan Doig
  • Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
  • Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (376 ratings)

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This House of Sky  By  cover art

This House of Sky

By: Ivan Doig
Narrated by: Tom Stechschulte
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Publisher's summary

A nominee for the National Book Award, Ivan Doig's brilliant memoir shares the experiences and culture that shaped his early years and made him fall in love with the West. From his childhood in a family of homesteaders through the death of his mother and his move to Montana to herd sheep, Doig shows his intimate connection with the American West.

©1978 Ivan Doig (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

What listeners say about This House of Sky

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6 stars

This is the most beautiful book ever written. I read it over and over. Now listen to it. Beautiful performance by Tom Stechschulte.

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Love this book!

The narrator was fantastic. I can still hear him in my head. The book is so full of memories, not just Mr Doig's but mine. My mother's family came from Scotland and some of the words a phrases jumped out at me like a very welcome present. Honyakers is a word I remember well and miss hearing from my mom. Thank you Mr Doig, for sharing your father and Lady with us.

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3 people found this helpful

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Doig is a master of words

He paints a picture so completely it’s mesmerizing. In the audible version I often had to go back a minute or two to just appreciate his use of words. Feel the chill, smell the pastures, know exactly what the sky looks like. The narrator Tom Stechulte is the perfect perfect person to read this book. I’d listen to him read a book about scrubbing pots and pans.

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  • CA
  • 02-09-21

Stirred many memories and emotions

For me to have stumbled onto This House of Sky by chance seems quite improbable. Again and again throughout my listening, I pictured my own father (and me in some situations) as both Doigs, father and son. Love the writing style that gives such eloquent and efficient treatment to homespun, back country, ranch life vocabulary and phrases. Anxious to discover more from Ivan Doig.

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Thank you Ivan.

Your painting with words is a talent to be enjoyed by all. Thank you for sharing it as well as the story of you and your family.

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An epic tale...

One of the best books I have ever listened to. The writing is vivid and paints a 3D picture of the Montana of Doig’s youth. Can’t wait to listen to it again!

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A Vivid Trip Back in Time

I grabbed this book as a result of watching a biography about the author in PBS. Yeah, I was late night channel surfing.

The author has an amazing way of painting a picture. I could see, feel, and smell every scene in this book. I'd give anything to be able to tell stories this well.

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip into the past. What a great historical record of a time when people had to be resilliant just to survive. And what a great tribute to the people in the author's life. I was so moved by his father and grandmother.

Also, the narrorator was true perfection.

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Montana as it was

Knowing those places of which Doing writes, I loved this book. And be sure to listen to the post script.

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As absorbing as a novel

After so thoroughly enjoying Dancing at the Rascal Fair, I wondered if I could enjoy This House of Sky as much. I did! There are similarities in setting and approach: what interesting studies of relationships, and what interesting comparisons and contrasts with Stegner’s Big Rock Candy Mountain. This is a first-rate lifelong list book!

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Narration equal to exquisite, evocative writing

This House of Sky is a paragon of a memoir. Heart-felt capital L literature. Memorable.

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