The title of this book is benediction and it was written by kent haruf. Following the astonishing plainsong and eventide, this is kent harufs third novel set in. It was published by picador and has a total of 257 pages in the book. Haruf was born in pueblo, colorado, the son of a methodist minister. Benediction is quiet and nearly uneventful, but it is also unforgettable. Readers of his novels plainsong, eventide and benediction know the place now, street by street, citizen by citizen. Benediction suggests theres no end to the stories haruf can tell about holt or to the tough, gorgeous language he can summon in the process. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading benediction plainsong series book 3. A shelf awareness best book of the year from the beloved and bestselling author of plainsong and eventide comes a story of life and death, and the ties that. Harufs language and punctuation are so plain, the writing is nearly austere. He tells us about ordinary people and everyday life in spare, beautiful language. Haruf set all of his books in the fictional small town of holt, colo.
Kent haruf writes about the lives of ordinary people in such a way that im left feeling i know them and remember them. One long last summer for dad lewis in his beloved town, holt, colorado. Alan kent haruf february 24, 1943 november 30, 2014 was an american novelist. Following the astonishing plainsong and eventide, this is kent harufs third novel set in the imaginary landscape of holt, colorado. Kent harufs new novel benediction is set in fictional colorado town, holt. He earned his bachelor of arts in literature from nebraska wesleyan university in 1965 and his masters of fine arts from the iowa writers workshop at the university of iowa in 1973. Colorado author kent haruf has an extraordinary grasp of quiet. Kent haruf writes about small towns and regular people, but dont underestimate his ambition. He is writing about life, and to do that he has returned again and againfirst with plainsong, later with eventide to the small town of holt, located on the eastern plains of colorado. Kent haruf obituary kent haruf was an american novelist whose spare prose gave life to quiet human drama in the fictional town of holt. Benediction by kent haruf, 9780307950420, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. When dad lewis is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he and his wife, mary, must work together to make his final days. Deftly plotted, defiantly honest, where you once belonged sings the song of a wounded prairie community in a narrative with the earmarks of a modern american. Belonged, plainsong, eventide and now benediction present slices from life.
In kent haruf s benediction, lewis gets a diagnosis of terminal cancer, which means that his wife now has to work to ensure that his last days are as comfortable as they could be. Benediction, his latest book, is about an old man who is dying of lung cancer. One of those ugly little towns, holt, was invented by the novelist kent haruf. Plainsong by kent haruf trying to think of one word to describe this book i would say brooding. Benediction by kent haruf from the beloved and bestselling author of plainsong and eventide comes a story of life and death, and the ties that bind, once again set out on the high plains in holt, colorado. The 10 digit isbn is 1447227530 and the digit isbn is 9781447227533. Harufs ability to look into the soul of his characters reminds me of stegner. As old friends pass in and out to voice their farewells and good wishes, dads wife and daughter work to make his final days as comfortable as possible, knowing all is tainted by. In an interview in publishers weekly about benediction, haruf said. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It was a slow burning, moody piece of work which made me feel. How does its simplicity contribute to the mood of the story. As the novel unfolds we are introduced to new characters and get glimpses of those.
A benediction is a blessing and that is exactly what this book is. In benediction, a fine contender for the inaugural folio prize, kent harufs beautifully spare prose charts the events of that summer with unpretentious aplomb. Heartbreaking yet affirming, this is a novel that explores the pain, the compassion and above all the humanity of ordinary people. Nine years later we have harufs fifth novel, benediction.
Benediction, by kent haruf, a masterful look at end of. Kent haruf 19432014 was an american author of literary fiction novels. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as cds or access codes. All his novels are set in the fictional town of holt, colorado, a kent haruf takes his time. His first novel, the ties that bind, was published in 1984, winning a whiting foundation award and a hemingway foundationpen citation. The precious ordinary, as one character puts it, is the central concern of this remarkable book. There is a deep, satisfying music to this book, as haruf weaves between such. American author kent haruf, whose most recent novel benediction was shortlisted for the folio prize, has died aged 71. In 1965 he graduated with a ba from nebraska wesleyan university, where he would later teach, and earned an mfa from the iowa writers workshop at the university of iowa in 1973.
Kent haruf, who died in november at the age of 71, was best known for his justly praised novel plainsong 1999. Benediction by haruf, kent and a great selection of related books. Haruf describes the act of dying almost like the act of giving birth. When the mcpheron brothers see victoria roubideaux, the single mother theyd taken in, move from their ranch to begin college, an emptiness opens before themand for many. Kent harufs novels the tie that binds, where you once belonged, plainsong, eventide and now benediction present slices from life in the fictional town of. Kent haruf s honors include a whiting foundation award and a special citation from the penhemingway foundation. The adjectives that usually appear when kent haruf publishes a new novel will probably appear this month as benediction, his latest story set on the open, treeless plains of eastern colorado, is published. Kent haruf again writes about the townspeople of the small town of holt, colorado.
He has months to live and in those last few months the people who love him gather around him. A shelf awareness best book of the year from the beloved and bestselling author of plainsong and eventide comes a story of life and death, and the ties. After about twenty pages i decided this was a book i needed to read slowly and deliberately. Ever since he has been turning out some of the most keenlycarpentered fiction in america about holt, colo. Benediction by kent haruf book club discussion questions. From the beloved and bestselling author of plainsong and eventide comes a story of life and death, and the ties that bind, once again set out on the high plains in holt, colorado. In benediction, haruf writes of the precious ordinary. Benediction plainsong series book 3 kindle edition by. He graduated with a ba from nebraska wesleyan university in 1965, where he would later teach, and earned an mfa from the iowa writers workshop at the university of iowa in 1973.
From the beloved and bestselling author of plainsong and eventide comes a story of life and death, and the ties that bind, once again set out on the high plains. Youll find proof in his masterful new novel, benediction, a gentle but forceful rendering of protagonist dad lewis. Benediction by kent haruf, 9781447227533, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. When dad lewis is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he and his wife, mary, must work together to make his final days as comfortable. Utterly beautiful, and devastating yet affirming, kent harufs benediction explores the pain, the compassion and the humanity of ordinary people. Kent harufs latest intimate portrayal of everyday lives, shortlisted for the. One of the most beloved novels in recent years, plainsong was a bestseller from coast to coastand now kent haruf returns to the high plains community of holt, colorado, with a story of even more masterful authority. In kent harufs benediction, lewis gets a diagnosis of terminal cancer, which means that his wife now has to work to ensure that his last days are as comfortable as they could be. Kent haruf s novels the tie that binds, where you once belonged, plainsong, eventide and now benediction present slices from life in the fictional town of holt, colo. Benediction plainsong series book 3 kindle edition by haruf, kent.
It was published by knopf and has a total of 272 pages in the book. In some ways, what happens in holt happens in denver, in minneapolis, everywhere. For what this book lacks in dialogue, it makes up for in atmosphere, space and. Readers of his novels plainsong, eventide and benediction know the. Discover book depositorys huge selection of kent haruf books online. Lucy mangan stylist this spring i started reading kent haruf. Kent haruf is the author of five previous novels and, with the photographer peter brown, west of last chance. In where you once belonged, the bestselling and awardwinning novelist of eventide, kent haruf tells of a smalltown hero who is dealt an enviable handand cheats with all of the cards. Our souls at night, by kent haruf the new york times. Benediction forms with plainsong and eventide a loose trilogy set in harufs fictional town of holt, an imaginative landscape which is as vivid and powerful as those of cormac mccarthy and annie proulx. In the 1980s, the novelist kent haruf lived in yuma, colo. Buy a cheap copy of benediction book by kent haruf. In this case its the ordinary life of dad lewis, longtime resident of holt, colorado, who is now dying of cancer.