Wallace stegners iconic novel crossing to safety to. It gained broad literary acclaim and commercial popularity. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner fab book club. He was 62 when, in 1971, he won the pulitzer for angle of repose. This is an excellent book for a book discussion group. Indeed, for many years i had the following quote from it on my work whiteboard.
Not just civilisations, i thought, but marriages, teams, organisations. In crossing to safety, stegner explores the mysteries of friendship, and it extends stegner s distinguished body of work that had already earned him a pulitzer prize for 1971s angle of repose and the national book award for. Wallace stegner, quote from crossing to safety ambition is a path, not a destination, and it is essentially the same path for everybody. Crossing to safety by wallace earle stegner, publishers. Crossing to safety is a 1987 semiautobiographical novel by the dean of western writers, wallace stegner. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Wallace stegner gives us plenty of possible answers to that question in his novel crossing to safety. Using a series of flashbacks in the mind of a writer, larry morgan, throughout a single day, the novel is a reflection on youth, idealism, and the often unarticulated but lifelong process of compromise one must endure while seeking.
The language was beautiful and there was not a single sentence i would have taken out. Wallace stegner, who also wrote short stories, essays, biographies and histories. Crossing to safety wallace stegner introduction by molly lundquist like other famous authors who claimed to write small jane austens miniatures on a little bit of ivory and william faulkners postage stamp of native soil, wallace stegner says of crossing to safety that he was trying to make very small noises and to make them thoughtful. Crossing to safety is the last novel by american author wallace stegner. Wallace stegner audio books, best sellers, author bio.
One of the finest american authors of the 20th century, wallace stegner compiled an impressive collection of accolades during his lifetime, including a pulitzer prize for fiction, a national book award, and three o. Introduction by terry tempest williams afterword by t. But within a single afternoon, within hours or minutes, everything you plan and everything you have fought to make yourself can be undone as a slug is undone when salt is poured on him. You can lie in your morning bed and fill whole notebooks with schemes and intentions. Wallace stegner 19091993 was the author of, among other novels, all the little live things winner of a commonwealth club gold medal, angle of repose winner of the pulitzer prize, and the spectator bird winner of the national book award.
It made a deep impression that has lingered over the years. Dec 07, 2012 wallace stegner 19091993 may be better known for his 1972 pulitzer prizewinner, angle of repose, but its his last novel, crossing to safety, which quietly celebrated its 25th anniversary. Wallace stegner books list of books by author wallace. As i approach 70, i am uncomfortably aware that my generation regards. Two young ambitious couples become friends in madison, wisconsin, when the two husbands begin their academic careers as professors at the university of wisconsin in the 1930s. Stegner opens with charity, a wealthy new englander in the last stages of cancer, bringing the foursome back together for one last hurrah.
Since then ive read many more books by him, and this is still my favorite stegner. Wallace stegner 19091993 may be better known for his 1972 pulitzer prizewinner, angle of repose, but its his last novel, crossing to safety, which quietly celebrated its 25th anniversary. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. In crossing to safety, stegner explores the mysteries of friendship, and it extends stegners distinguished body of work that had already earned him a pulitzer prize for 1971s angle of repose and the national book award for. Wallace stegner 19091993 may be better known for his 1972 pulitzer prizewinner, angle of repose, but its his last novel, crossing to safety, which quietly celebrated its.
Like some others ive loved, its hard to put my finger on a reason, but i loved it. Larry and sally meet sid and charity in 1938 when larry and sid are english professors in madison, wisconsin. Crossing to safety is a 1987 semiautobiographical novel by wallace stegner. Adding to a distinguished body of work that already has earned him a pulitzer prize and the national book awardand on the 50th anniversary of the publication of his first novelstegners new book is an. Jun 25, 2014 nearly two decades ago, i read wallace stegners angle of repose. Larry morgan and his wife sally are young westerners who, one day in depressionpoor 1937, arrive in madison, wisconsin, where larry is to take a oneyear teaching post at the university of wisconsin. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner by linda40 see profile 081814. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner penguin books.
Crossing to safety by wallace stegner penguin books new. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner random house 368 pp. A novel paperback january 1, 1987 by wallace stegner author visit amazons wallace stegner page. Crossing to safety modern library classics paperback april 9, 2002. Using a series of flashbacks in the mind of a writer, larry morgan, throughout a single day, the novel is a reflection on youth, idealism, and the often unarticulated but lifelong process of compromise one must endure while seeking a stable place in the world. Stegner takes a long look backat four decades of a foursomes lifein a novel that at moments is beguiling, though at others it labors for its theme. Its his most accessible book, a warm, charming story that allows the reader to familiarize herself with his signature style of one chapter past tense, one chapter present tense, one chapter past tense, etc. Theres a world of new ideas in every books newsletter. Apr 09, 2020 wallace stegner, american author of fiction and historical nonfiction set mainly in the western united states. Wallace stegner crossing to safety, my first book by wallace stegner, in august 20. Nearly two decades ago, i read wallace stegners angle of repose. I was glad to find much of my book group felt the same way.
Wallace stegner was born in 1909 in lake mills, iowa. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare. Civilisations grow by agreements and accommodations and accretions, not by repudiations. Though a quiet read which takes place in the course of one day. No matter what the goal is, the path leads through pilgrims progress regions of motivation, hard work, persistence, stubbornness, and. See all books authored by wallace stegner, including crossing to safety, and angle of repose, and more on.
The son of scandinavian immigrants, he traveled with his parents and brother all over the westto north dakota, washington, saskatchewan, montana, and wyomingbefore settling in salt lake city in 1921. Crossing to safety a wonderfully written book about lasting friendships, kindness, dominance and much more. Sep 20, 1987 crossing to safety by wallace stegner. Buy crossing to safety penguin modern classics by stegner, wallace, smiley, jane from amazons fiction books store.
Dec 05, 2008 not only a book of a lifetime, crossing to safety is a book that comes at the end of a long lifetime of writing. Wallace stegner, american author of fiction and historical nonfiction set mainly in the western united states. Wallace stegner crossing to safety tells an american tale of two couples who form a lifelong bond extending from the great. The story of larry and sally morgan and charity and sid langs lifelong friendship, which began during larry and sids teaching jobs at the university of wisconsin in the 1930s. Not only a book of a lifetime, crossing to safety is a book that comes at the end of a long lifetime of writing.
Crossing to safety modern library classics by wallace. Wallace stegner, who also wrote short stories, essays, biographies and histories, published his first novel in 1937. Buy a cheap copy of crossing to safety book by wallace stegner. Crossing to safety by wallace stegner penguin books australia. Crossing to safety by stegner, wallace and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. I first read crossing to safety, my first book by wallace stegner, in august 20.
Crossing to safety was the selection for my book clubs august meeting crossing to safety by wallace stegner, fiction released 1987 bottom line. Adding to a distinguished body of work that already has earned him a pulitzer prize and the national book awardand on the 50th anniversary of the publication. All his writings are informed by a deep sense of the american experience and the potential, which he termed the geography of promise, that the west symbolizes. The year is 1972, and 64yearold author and college professor, larry morgan and his crippled wife, sally, journey from albuquerque to enjoy again the hospitality of their friends, sidney and charity lang, at battell pond, vermont. The year is 1972, and 64yearold author and college professor, larry morgan and his crippled wife, sally, journey from albuquerque to enjoy again the hospitality of their friends, sidney and. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on crossing to safety by wallace stegner. In the following years he published works of fiction and 10 books of nonfiction.
650 767 1119 1044 1602 975 1464 1379 607 623 1226 721 331 603 853 302 336 149 285 803 797 1359 803 1026 713 417 985 297 223 361 13 1295 753 158 960 1378 459 114 382 1114 48