East of the Mountains

By: David Guterson

Narrated by: Don Hastings

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the author of Snow Falling on Cedars comes this best-selling novel about a dying man’s final journey through a landscape that has always sustained him and provided him with hope and challenges.

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

"When Guterson is at his best, the story and the landscape nearly become one." (The New York Times Book Review)

Masterpiece

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

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.

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.

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.

East of the Mountains

Contempletive.

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.

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.

Beautiful. Evocative.

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

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.

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.

Wonderful story, beautifully read

Story and narrator are made for each other. I have read this book in print but the narration, especially listening in the dark hours of night, brought it alive. Highly recommended