Plainsong

De: Kent Haruf

Narrado por: Tom Stechschulte

Kent Haruf has received prestigious awards, including a special citation from the PEN/Hemingway Foundation for his finely-tuned works. Before the opening chapter of this novel, Haruf offers a definition. Plainsong is “any simple and unadorned melody or air.” Direct yet elegant, Haruf’s Plainsong is a hymn to the breadth of the human spirit.

A high school history teacher in a small Colorado town, Guthrie is raising his two young sons alone. Thoughtful and honest, he is guiding them through a world that is not always kind. Victoria, one of his students, is pregnant, homeless, and vulnerable to the scorn of the town. When Guthrie helps two elderly ranchers take the young woman into their home, an unlikely extended family is born. As the chapters of these people’s lives alternate throughout Plainsong, loneliness and need are transformed into nourishing bonds. Narrator Tom Stechschulte captures the subtle changes that bring the men, women, and children together. His performance highlights every shading of this superb New York Times best-seller.

©1999 Kent Haruf (P)1999 Recorded Books, LLC

every chapter.. simple and engaging, with charater

every chapter simple and engaging with every character being someone we could champion or hope would change

Enjoyable read

Thoroughly enjoyed this simple relaxing book. Would recommend this book. Looking forward to listening to the next one!

Timeless Storytelling

I have always enjoyed the brevity of the language when characters are speaking. It seems like a beautiful relic of another time. I really like these people. Great Storytelling and a highly recommended book.

An indescribable tale that captured me fully

If you’re thinking about this book, just do it. The narration is perfect and sets a tone that captures the spirit I think the author was trying to convey.

A Bleak Book About Small Town Life

This book is very well written and the narration is great but the story was too bleak for my taste. It may be realistic in its depiction of small town life with ordinary people trying to cope with eccentrics and bullies but overall it has a hopeless feel to it. Certainly a lot of 20th Century literary legends like Faulkner wrote similar stories. It was recommended to me by a friend who loved it. I did not love it and felt more like I was enduring it. Basically this falls in the category of the kind of literary realism you'll like if you like that kind of thing.

This story ❤

I never re-read books, but this one...

In the next few minutes I will finish Plainsong for the second time. However, I'm not in any way prepared to say goodbye to the McPheran brothers or Victoria. And so, I've got Eventide (the follow up story) waiting on deck. I've grown to love the gruff McPheran brothers and smile from my heart whenever they speak. The simple prose captures the nuances of not only small town living, but the struggles of people caught in the web of time and circumstance. This story is a glorious slice of life tale that moves slowly, and burrows deeply into your heart and soul. Unforgettable.

A book that will remain in your heart for ever

Plainsong captures your heart from the very first word and you remain enthralled until the end. You will love the warm hearted characters and their relationships. Thank goodness there are two more books to read in this trilogy. Eventide and Benediction.Once again the narration is superbly matched to the story.

Great writing and narration

A gifted author and a terrific narrator combine talents for a rich and involving reading experience. I know these folks having grown up on a farm in North Dakota. This provoked many sensory memories. I highly recommend this audiobook.

Lovely Descriptions of Plains Life

Honest and warm, mellow and real people with rich narrative style. Easy to listen to the lives of these folks.

Story of human angst, kindness, and lives entertwined

Such a great respite from bleak dystopia or extreme violence or insufferable hardship as plot lines. Small town people and the troubles and joys they encounter in life.