- Hardcover: 287 pages
- Publisher: Grove Press / Atlantic Monthly Press; First Edition edition (22 April 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0871139855
- ISBN-13: 978-0871139856
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.5 x 3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,419,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
So Brave, Young, and Handsome
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
Wondrous and wise - Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes.
Heart-achingly beautiful - Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer.
Sharp and brainy… Enger's laid claim to a musical, sometimes magical and deeply satisfying kind of storytelling' Los Angeles Times.
A formidably gifted writer… wise and knowing about the ubiquity of the human condition and the vagaries of the human heart' Chicago Tribune. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Heart-achingly beautiful - Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer.
Sharp and brainy… Enger's laid claim to a musical, sometimes magical and deeply satisfying kind of storytelling' Los Angeles Times.
A formidably gifted writer… wise and knowing about the ubiquity of the human condition and the vagaries of the human heart' Chicago Tribune. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Review
Wondrous and wise - Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes. Heart-achingly beautiful - Nicholas Evans, author of The Horse Whisperer. Sharp and brainy Enger's laid claim to a musical, sometimes magical and deeply satisfying kind of storytelling' Los Angeles Times. A formidably gifted writer wise and knowing about the ubiquity of the human condition and the vagaries of the human heart' Chicago Tribune.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
"That is how you want to be remembered, my friends. Take a picture in your moment of conquest, when your luck is high and bullets still bounce off. That will do for the ages." - Monte Becket
Monte Becket lives with wife and young son in rural Minnesota along the Cannon River during the second decade of the 20th century. To date, Becket's one claim to wealth and fame is his wildly popular pulp Western, MARTIN BLIGH. His publisher wants more, but, lately, Monte's muse has failed him. Becket is drifting and anticipating failure as a writer, husband and father. Then one day, out of the fog on the river, a white-haired old man paddles his boat past. Enter into Monte's life boat-builder Glendon Hale, formerly Glen Dobie of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang.
Hale was once married to a Mexican girl named Blue. But, sought by the Federales, Glendon deserted her never to return. Now, years later, he desires to go back and apologize to the woman he truly loved. He invites Monte to accompany him on the journey, and the latter, fearing the stagnation in his life, accepts. Along the way appears Charles Siringo, also once of the Hole-in-the-Wall, but now a self-anointed lawman of some legend, mostly constructed from books that he himself has written. Charles, now an old man himself, is in relentless pursuit of Glen Dobie for past crimes.
SO BRAVE, YOUNG AND HANDSOME is a coming-of-maturation story by Leif Enger. Its characterizations and narrative pace are reminiscent of Larry McMurtry's novels of the West, e.g. the superlative Lonesome Dove. Here, Becket rediscovers not only himself and the talents within, but also learns something about the nature of honor, friendship, love and public fame.
In the McMurtry style, the plot of Enger's book doesn't evolve to a climactic and dramatic ending. Rather, random and relatively mundane events accumulate over time to give meaning to the protagonist's life, much as they do in the real lives of you and me. Enger's writing talent enables him to tell his tale with sympathy for each of the characters and a keen eye for the story's time and place. What results is not a thriller in the popular sense, but still a book that I couldn't put down. Like Lonesome Dove [1989], it could translate to an intelligent and absorbing film of high emotional impact.
Monte Becket lives with wife and young son in rural Minnesota along the Cannon River during the second decade of the 20th century. To date, Becket's one claim to wealth and fame is his wildly popular pulp Western, MARTIN BLIGH. His publisher wants more, but, lately, Monte's muse has failed him. Becket is drifting and anticipating failure as a writer, husband and father. Then one day, out of the fog on the river, a white-haired old man paddles his boat past. Enter into Monte's life boat-builder Glendon Hale, formerly Glen Dobie of the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang.
Hale was once married to a Mexican girl named Blue. But, sought by the Federales, Glendon deserted her never to return. Now, years later, he desires to go back and apologize to the woman he truly loved. He invites Monte to accompany him on the journey, and the latter, fearing the stagnation in his life, accepts. Along the way appears Charles Siringo, also once of the Hole-in-the-Wall, but now a self-anointed lawman of some legend, mostly constructed from books that he himself has written. Charles, now an old man himself, is in relentless pursuit of Glen Dobie for past crimes.
SO BRAVE, YOUNG AND HANDSOME is a coming-of-maturation story by Leif Enger. Its characterizations and narrative pace are reminiscent of Larry McMurtry's novels of the West, e.g. the superlative Lonesome Dove. Here, Becket rediscovers not only himself and the talents within, but also learns something about the nature of honor, friendship, love and public fame.
In the McMurtry style, the plot of Enger's book doesn't evolve to a climactic and dramatic ending. Rather, random and relatively mundane events accumulate over time to give meaning to the protagonist's life, much as they do in the real lives of you and me. Enger's writing talent enables him to tell his tale with sympathy for each of the characters and a keen eye for the story's time and place. What results is not a thriller in the popular sense, but still a book that I couldn't put down. Like Lonesome Dove [1989], it could translate to an intelligent and absorbing film of high emotional impact.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
What marks out this novel from other 'road' fiction is its narrator, Monte Beckett. He's eloquent, charming, naive and loyal. He wears the novel's dark themes lightly.
I think this is a wonderful book and recommend it even if, like me, it doesn't seem to be your preferred genre.
I think this is a wonderful book and recommend it even if, like me, it doesn't seem to be your preferred genre.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
To compare this to " Lonesome Dove " is just plain daft !
Leif Enger is no Larry McMurtry , no Cormac McCarthy , not even an Annie Proulx : all great exponents of Western literature . He is however a unique Leif Enger and should not be compared to the above . He is his own man with his own style and worth attention .
This is a journey literally through the early last century , almost civilized West and a journey of self discovery for the hero Monte Becket. Monte wrote one best seller then his mental pen ran dry . After years of trying to regain his talent , into his life came Glendon Hale a mysterious , alluring character with a shady past . Together they set out : Glendon to find the wife he deserted long ago in Mexico and Monte to to find his lost muse . They meet adventure , tragedy and many interesting heroes and rogues along the way .
Do they find fulfillment in their quests . Well therein lies the tale. I recommend this to any fan of quality Western writing .
Leif Enger is no Larry McMurtry , no Cormac McCarthy , not even an Annie Proulx : all great exponents of Western literature . He is however a unique Leif Enger and should not be compared to the above . He is his own man with his own style and worth attention .
This is a journey literally through the early last century , almost civilized West and a journey of self discovery for the hero Monte Becket. Monte wrote one best seller then his mental pen ran dry . After years of trying to regain his talent , into his life came Glendon Hale a mysterious , alluring character with a shady past . Together they set out : Glendon to find the wife he deserted long ago in Mexico and Monte to to find his lost muse . They meet adventure , tragedy and many interesting heroes and rogues along the way .
Do they find fulfillment in their quests . Well therein lies the tale. I recommend this to any fan of quality Western writing .
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
INTRIGUING CAT AND MOUSE PURSUIT ACROSS THE AMERICAN WEST
Four INTRIGUING Stars!! The novel "So Brave, Young, and Handsome" is set in the waning days of the Old West in 1915 and follows the exploits of Monte Becket, a 'flash in the pan'... Read more
Published 1 month ago by RBSProds
Enger does it again.
This gentle book carries you along effortlessly and you'll enjoy its company so much it will seem like an old friend you'll want to revisit again and again. Read more
Published 1 month ago by fishface
Mr average and the wild west
This is a very well written story set in a fascinating period, the last days of the wild west. The hero is an ordinary modern man, indecisive, weak willed but likeable and human. Read more
Published 7 months ago by S. J. Blackburn
So brave, young and handsome
In the past I have enjoyed reading novels set in the American West,about their way of life and with some human interest, so I was expecting more from this book than it actually... Read more
Published 7 months ago by jmd
A sweet, slow tale of love, adventure and friendship in the Wild West
Leif Enger continues to be a delightful teller of tales, continuing his love of the mythic West, when the world was full of adventures, heroes and villains who are not always what... Read more
Published on 28 Aug 2009 by Lady Fancifull
a charming book
other reviews have sketched in the plot, let me just say I found this a charming and lovely book I would recommend to anyone.
Published on 4 Aug 2009 by Nicky
This Book Has it All, One Truly Fine Story
In 1910 Monte Becket wrote a successful western novel called Martin Bligh, which, in his words, became so popular that he quit the post office. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2009 by Maggie Mae
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