The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro, 350 pagescelebrate the author; what's in a name: building; 3rd Canadian Book Challenge
My first Alice Munro book. I liked the way the short stories were connected, much like in Olive Kitteridge, with recurring characters. Munro has crafted a partially fact, partially fiction history of her family. She takes the past, beginning in Ettridge Valley, Scotland, and builds a possible story of the Laidlaws coming to America. The stories are based on legend, and her imagination. The second half of the book is ficitonalized memoir of Alice Munro's life, and her family. She states in the introduction that the stories are not true - "And the part of this book that might be called family history has expanded into fiction, but always within the outline of a true narrative."
Very readable, a version of one family's Canadian history, but with general family relationships.
Alice Munro, born July 10, 1931 was awarded the Man Booker International Prize in 2009 for her body of written work. "Generally regarded to be one of the world's foremost writers of fiction, her stories focus on the human condition and relationships through the lens of daily life."
Great review! Happy Birthday to Ms. Munro!
ReplyDeleteI want to read more of her work. I did a little blog entry on a short story:
ReplyDeletehttp://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2007/07/todays-short-storythe-bear-came-over.html
I didn't note what book it comes from - is it in this one? Thanks for a great review!
teddy rose - thanks
ReplyDeletenan - nice article you wrote, I didn't realize that movie was based on a Munro SS. That story one wasn't from this book, so I can't help there. These stories were all connected, and her first person (supposedly Alice) point of view.
I'm listening to the audio of this right now and like it so far. This is my first Munro as well.
ReplyDelete