Crossing to Safety

By: Wallace Stegner

Narrated by: Richard Poe

One of the finest American authors of the 20th century, Wallace Stegner compiled an impressive collection of accolades during his lifetime, including a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, a National Book Award, and three O. Henry Awards. His final novel, Crossing to Safety is the quiet yet stirring tale of two couples that meet during the Great Depression and form a lifelong bond.©2002 Wallace Earle Stegner (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"This is a wonderfully rich, warm, and affecting book." ( Library Journal)
"It's deceptively simple: two bright young couples meet during the Depression and form an instant and lifelong friendship. "How do you make a book that anyone will read out of lives as quiet as these?" Larry Morgan, a successful novelist and the narrator of the story, poses that question many years after he and his wife, Sally, have befriended the vibrant, wealthy, and often troubled Sid and Charity Lang. "Where is the high life, the conspicuous waste, the violence, the kinky sex, the death wish?" It's not here. What is here is just as fascinating, just as compelling, as touching, and as tragic." (Amazon.com review)

A classic, but not to me

What did you like best about Crossing to Safety? What did you like least?

I like the story about the happenings between people. I bought this because it is talked about in the first chapter. Since it is said to be "Everyone's favourite book". I do however sometimes think classics are so hyped that people like myself feel extremely strange because we are unable to rave about it. I even questioned if a chapter was missing since I feel it does a jump in there, which made me go back and listen to that part again.

In addition, "A thousand splendid suns" which they also talked about took my breathe away. Maybe I got my hopes up about this because it was mentioned in the same book. I will give it a second chance.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Maybe if Jeff Harding had read it.

What three words best describe Richard Poe’s voice?

Typical news voice. Clear yet boring.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes, because I would feel I had to.

Any additional comments?

I would tell everyone to give it a try. If you love "The end of your life book club."

More than a feel good story

I found this book to be what other reviewers said - a satisfying and moving description of a life long friendship between two couples. But I also saw more: these couples had experiences and tragedies that changed and molded them in unique ways. How they reacted was really the heart of the story.

Ending terrible

The book was very well written and narrated the ending I felt as the author just was finished writing and decided to quit. Very disappointing

Stegner Nails It

Great insights into relationships. I can't believe I waited so long to read it. It was a joy .

Excellent story, awful ending.

How could the author spend the entire novel developing the nuances of a complex lifelong friendship between 2 couples in a deep and beautiful way, and then end it like this? Terribly disappointed but still gave it 4 stars because it is a profoundly moving story.