In the Distance

By: Hernan Diaz

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

A young Swedish immigrant finds himself penniless and alone in California. The boy travels East in search of his brother, moving on foot against the great current of emigrants pushing West. Driven back again and again, he meets naturalists, criminals, religious fanatics, swindlers, Indians, and lawmen, and his exploits turn him into a legend. Diaz defies the conventions of historical fiction and genre, offering a probing look at the stereotypes that populate our past and a portrait of radical foreignness.

©2017 Hernán Díaz (P)2017 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Poetic story of life and love and searching for home

Great story and narration. The story is so well told that you get wrapped up and forget where it started until the loop completes at the end. Loved it and Steinbeck analogy in terms of writing style is appropriate.

doesn't have a proper ending

the main character has a good many interesting experiences along his journey, but in the end they make little sense, and there is no proper ending. a real disappointment.

A Life Observed

Is surviving living? In today's world where we eek out every new memory, every new experience, every Facebook and Instagram post, just surviving seems pointless. Yet the mere act of survival IS the point of this journey. Lyrically written and voiced, it is a journey worth your listen.

A Brilliant Reinvention of the Western Fable

Hernan Diaz clearly understood the material from which he drew. In this flop of the classic American western, our hero travels from east-to-west. The landscape remains as majestic and as much a character as ever, but that is all that remains familiar. There are no heroes, but good acts by normal human beings. The villains too are all to human and like the heroes recognizable in all of us.

The prose is poetic at times. The novels structure and use of rhetorical tropes anchor the story and allow the reader to segment what for the hero is essentially never ending and unchanging. Of particular note is how the use repetition of specific passages (usually relating to food) effectively drives home the monotonous existence of our hero.

The ending is the only ending possible. Our hero cannot stop moving, it is all he knows. To expect him to settle in Alaska is yo ask the author to betray the audience and our hero

The narrator was amazing!

This book was compelling and interesting from the beginning. I truly felt so bad for this man, but as he grew and developed, he became quite amazing. He would have been interesting and fun to meet while journeying across the country in the 1800s. The ending left me a little disappointed, however. Just sort of left me hanging. Still, it was worth the read.

An enthralling journey

Haunting and poetic - a masterfully crafted work of art that will remain with me for quite some time

Narrator’s voice too distracting

The narrators voice was too distracting, couldn’t finish the novel. The story is great though.

Brilliant

It doesn’t get any better than this. Listen and enter a world that is harsh but beautiful.

an odd storey slow but captivating

I was intrigued from the beginning. It's a slow and tedious journey, captivating.
I enjoyed the reader.

Extraordinary historical novel

Into the Distance by Hernan Diaz is an exceptional novel that takes readers on a captivating journey through the wild west. The story revolves around the protagonist, Hakan, an immigrant who embarks on a treacherous quest across the American wilderness in search of his missing brother.

Diaz’s writing style is both poetic and mesmerizing, vividly capturing the harshness and beauty of the landscape. The detailed descriptions of the characters and their surroundings create a richly immersive experience, allowing readers to feel the heat of the desert and the vastness of the prairie.

What truly sets this novel apart is its exploration of themes such as identity, belonging, and the will to survive. Through Hakan’s character, Diaz skillfully delves into the complexities of being an outsider in a foreign land and the lengths one is willing to go to protect loved ones.

The pacing of the story is excellent, with each chapter propelling the narrative forward and keeping readers engaged. Diaz masterfully weaves together action, suspense, and introspection, resulting in a book that is as thrilling as it is thought-provoking.

Into the Distance is a remarkable literary achievement that delves deep into the human experience. Diaz’s ability to transport readers to another time and place, coupled with his insightful exploration of universal themes, makes this novel a must-read for fans of historical fiction and adventure.
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