The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind

Not all novelists are good short story writers. This collection is the exception. Using the background of small town life, this author has brought characters to life leaving me, as a reader, wanting more at the end of each one. A great from an novelist with a bright future!

Great writing

These short stories were very disappointing to me. I thoroughly enjoyed the author's book "Snow Falling On Cedars", so I expected the short story book to be as engrossing and enjoyable. Unfortunately, that wasn't so and I found the short stories somewhat boring. Even though the author's creative writing skills are evident, the stories, themselves, were not interesting enough for me to recommend this book without reservations. It may be, also, that the meanings of the individual stories were not clear enough and easy to understand. I think there may be deep life messages in the book, but it was difficult for me, personally, to grasp the messages.

The language, the expression, the incredible flowing of vocabulary--David Guterson's seemingly effortless ability to write prose that at times almost is poetry--all make this a book one I surely would recommend reading. As usual, his writings are thought-provoking. Though this book did not reach the popularity of his SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS (which was made into a movie), it still is surely a most worthy read. If this man wrote advertising brochures, I'd read those, so beautiful is his control of language, which seems to roll from an incredible gifted mind into his pen.

Guterson in smaller bites. The pictures evoked by "Snow Falling on Cedars" and the thoughts from "East of the Mountains" comedifferently, but every bit as clearly.Not as different as "The Other", and perhaps that was due to the medium.I look forward to his next novel, more than short stories.

I've enjoyed many of Guterson's books. He's a fine writer.

His writing is so lyrical I am mesmerized.

Had wanted to read it. Was ok.

Fab, up to his normal standard!

Short stories. His novels are so much better.

I bought this because I really enjoyed "Snow Falling on Cedars" and another novel about a surgeon who was terminally ill (can't recall the title) which I also rated highly. However, I gave up on this book after reading a couple of the stories which , although well written, I found were male-orientated - for example a hunting expedition - and didn't appeal to me.