Publication
Atlantic Monthly Press (2002), 320 p.
Original publication date
2001
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Awards
Independent Publisher Book Awards (Gold — General Fiction — 2002)
Alex Award (2002)
Indies Choice Book Award (Winner — Adult Fiction — 2002)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee — 2002)
Minnesota Book Awards (Finalist — 2002)
Description
Fiction. Literature. Hailed as one of the year's top five novels by Time, and selected as one of the best books of the year by nearly all major newspapers, national bestseller Peace Like a River captured the hearts of a nation in need of comfort. "A rich mixture of adventure, tragedy, and healing," Peace Like a River is "a collage of legends from sources sacred and profane -- from the Old Testament to the Old West, from the Gospels to police dramas" (Ron Charles, The Christian Science Monitor). In "lyrical, openhearted prose" (Michael Glitz, The New York Post), Enger tells the story of eleven-year-old Reuben Land, an asthmatic boy who has reason to believe in miracles. Along with his sister and father, Reuben finds himself on a cross-country search for his outlaw older brother who has been controversially charged with murder. Their journey is touched by serendipity and the kindness of strangers, and its remarkable conclusion shows how family, love, and faith can stand up to the most terrifying of enemies, the most tragic of fates. Leif Enger's "miraculous" (Valerie Ryan, The Seattle Times) novel is a "perfect book for an anxious time ... of great literary merit that nonetheless restores readers' faith in the kindness of stories" (Marta Salij, Detroit Free Press).… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member atimco
Peace Like A River is a story of faith, family, and an extraordinary journey. But before you get the idea that it's a warm-fuzzy kind of book, one of the main characters guns down two teens in cold blood, the miracles that happen are more terrifyingly inexplicable than comforting, and there is no
The story is narrated by twelve-year-old Reuben Land, who suffers from severe asthma. His family — father Jeremiah, older brother Davy, and younger sister Swede — live on the edge of poverty in a small town in the Midwest. There has always been something different about Reuben's father, who gave up a promising career as a doctor to be a school janitor after a near-death experience in a tornado. Quiet, unassuming Mr. Land can do miracles. Not on demand, and sometimes he doesn't even know he is doing them, but Reuben sees them. His father's quiet faith and integrity make him the cornerstone of the novel, much like Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird.
In terms of style and tone, this book begs to be compared to Mockingbird. Early on I felt that the similarities were striking, but as the story developed I realized how different the two really are. Sure, they share a courtroom drama, a precocious child narrator, a quietly strong father, and complex family relationships, but the underlying ideas driving the story are so different. I guess you could say that both stories treat vigilante justice, but in one case you're decidedly opposed to it and in the other, you're divided (if not supportive). Both books have their share of eccentric characters and small-town gossip. But while Mockingbird is primarily concerned with innocence and racism, Peace Like A River is about miracles, physical infirmity, and the mystique of outlawry. Enger's book is very much its own story despite the irresistible comparisons to Lee's novel.
At the end we get to the unstated struggle within Reuben that has been hinted at throughout the story. If his father will heal others — even hateful people who don't deserve his help and aren't grateful afterward — why won't he heal his own son's asthma? The unspoken question is there every time a miracle occurs. I wonder if this aspect of the story is a parallel to the story of God's sacrifice of Himself in Christ. If God is good and powerful, why doesn't He withhold pain and suffering from His children? Why doesn't He heal all our diseases and alleviate all our struggles, if He really does care? Why do good people suffer while bad people seem to do just fine? Part of the answer is that He never withholds pain from Himself either. He doesn't give us an easy road, but He has given us something infinitely better: Himself. At the end of this book, Reuben is healed, but not through a "small" and unobtrusive miracle like the others. The father sacrifices himself; only in the father's death can the child live.
This is a book that will leave you with questions, but for me they aren't just about the miracles. The questions about faith and justice and family loyalty are so profound, played out in the lives of characters I came to really care about. Add to all this richness of theme Enger's smooth narrative voice and it's no wonder this book has garnered all kinds of rave reviews and critical acclaim.
Near the end, Enger's beautifully drawn characters and faultless prose earn him the right to take us to this uncomfortable truth, right before it becomes real to Reuben:
At that moment there was nothing—no valiant history or hopeful future—half worth my sister's pardon. Listening to Dad's guitar, halting yet lovely in the search for phrasing, I thought: Fair is whatever God wants to do. (294)
Mmm.
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idyllic ending, no easy way out. Enger moves between happy (though complex) family scenes to abusive, appalling relationships, from visionaries to madmen. Please note that there will be spoilers in this review.The story is narrated by twelve-year-old Reuben Land, who suffers from severe asthma. His family — father Jeremiah, older brother Davy, and younger sister Swede — live on the edge of poverty in a small town in the Midwest. There has always been something different about Reuben's father, who gave up a promising career as a doctor to be a school janitor after a near-death experience in a tornado. Quiet, unassuming Mr. Land can do miracles. Not on demand, and sometimes he doesn't even know he is doing them, but Reuben sees them. His father's quiet faith and integrity make him the cornerstone of the novel, much like Atticus Finch in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird.
In terms of style and tone, this book begs to be compared to Mockingbird. Early on I felt that the similarities were striking, but as the story developed I realized how different the two really are. Sure, they share a courtroom drama, a precocious child narrator, a quietly strong father, and complex family relationships, but the underlying ideas driving the story are so different. I guess you could say that both stories treat vigilante justice, but in one case you're decidedly opposed to it and in the other, you're divided (if not supportive). Both books have their share of eccentric characters and small-town gossip. But while Mockingbird is primarily concerned with innocence and racism, Peace Like A River is about miracles, physical infirmity, and the mystique of outlawry. Enger's book is very much its own story despite the irresistible comparisons to Lee's novel.
At the end we get to the unstated struggle within Reuben that has been hinted at throughout the story. If his father will heal others — even hateful people who don't deserve his help and aren't grateful afterward — why won't he heal his own son's asthma? The unspoken question is there every time a miracle occurs. I wonder if this aspect of the story is a parallel to the story of God's sacrifice of Himself in Christ. If God is good and powerful, why doesn't He withhold pain and suffering from His children? Why doesn't He heal all our diseases and alleviate all our struggles, if He really does care? Why do good people suffer while bad people seem to do just fine? Part of the answer is that He never withholds pain from Himself either. He doesn't give us an easy road, but He has given us something infinitely better: Himself. At the end of this book, Reuben is healed, but not through a "small" and unobtrusive miracle like the others. The father sacrifices himself; only in the father's death can the child live.
This is a book that will leave you with questions, but for me they aren't just about the miracles. The questions about faith and justice and family loyalty are so profound, played out in the lives of characters I came to really care about. Add to all this richness of theme Enger's smooth narrative voice and it's no wonder this book has garnered all kinds of rave reviews and critical acclaim.
Near the end, Enger's beautifully drawn characters and faultless prose earn him the right to take us to this uncomfortable truth, right before it becomes real to Reuben:
At that moment there was nothing—no valiant history or hopeful future—half worth my sister's pardon. Listening to Dad's guitar, halting yet lovely in the search for phrasing, I thought: Fair is whatever God wants to do. (294)
Mmm.
Show Less
LibraryThing member mrstreme
Few writers can pull off a smart narrative from a child’s perspective, but Leif Enger in Peace Like A River not only pulled it off, he made it into an art form. Peace Like A River was the story of Reuben Land, an 11-year-old boy whose brother, Davy, killed two intruders in their home. When it
So many things make Peace Like A River a story worth reading: excellent characters that you care about, vivid descriptions that draw in the reader, the juxtaposition of faith in God and stark realism about life, and the undying love for one’s family. Even the details of western North Dakota, in all of its winter nakedness, were alluring. Without a doubt, the language alone is enough to captivate most readers.
While reading Peace Like A River, I was reminded of the characters in To Kill A Mockingbird. The plots were completely different, but the larger-than-life depictions of the fathers and the coming-of-age experiences of the young characters bore many resemblances. By the end of the story, Reuben learned so much about life in such a small time frame – and his narrative captured his starry-eyed wonderment of the world. In addition, Swede emerged as a character with a story of her own. She was a writer in this story, drafting a poem about outlaws that mirrored Davy’s experiences. I would love it if Enger retold Peace Like A River from her viewpoint one day.
Admittedly, it took about 50 pages for me to become enthralled with this story, but once I did, I was completely sucked in. I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy good coming-of-age tales. Peace Like A River is constant, flowing, turbulent – but worth the read.
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became apparent that Davy would be convicted, he escaped from jail, which led to Reuben, his father Jeremiah, and his little sister Swede trekking through the West to find him.So many things make Peace Like A River a story worth reading: excellent characters that you care about, vivid descriptions that draw in the reader, the juxtaposition of faith in God and stark realism about life, and the undying love for one’s family. Even the details of western North Dakota, in all of its winter nakedness, were alluring. Without a doubt, the language alone is enough to captivate most readers.
While reading Peace Like A River, I was reminded of the characters in To Kill A Mockingbird. The plots were completely different, but the larger-than-life depictions of the fathers and the coming-of-age experiences of the young characters bore many resemblances. By the end of the story, Reuben learned so much about life in such a small time frame – and his narrative captured his starry-eyed wonderment of the world. In addition, Swede emerged as a character with a story of her own. She was a writer in this story, drafting a poem about outlaws that mirrored Davy’s experiences. I would love it if Enger retold Peace Like A River from her viewpoint one day.
Admittedly, it took about 50 pages for me to become enthralled with this story, but once I did, I was completely sucked in. I would recommend this story to readers who enjoy good coming-of-age tales. Peace Like A River is constant, flowing, turbulent – but worth the read.
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LibraryThing member davidabrams
By now, the coming-of-age novel is a tried-and-true convention of literature, but seldom has it been as true as what’s on the pages of Leif Enger’s remarkable novel Peace Like a River.
Enger takes the best of writers like John Irving, Tony Earley and J.D. Salinger, then stakes his own territory
Take this sentence, for instance: I remember it as October days are always remembered, cloudless, maple-flavored, the air gold and so clean it quivers. There’s plenty more where that came from.
The novel, set in the early 1960s, is narrated by 11-year-old Reuben Land, an asthmatic boy living in a motherless family whose tender circle is about to be broken by the oldest son. When 17-year-old Davy commits a crime of passion and becomes a fugitive, Reuben, his father Jeremiah and his younger sister Swede set out from Minnesota to follow Davy’s trail across the northern United States. As the family travels in their Airstream trailer and draws closer to Davy, events turn increasingly miraculous, fueled by the elder Land’s belief that he’s got a direct connection to God.
Enger fills the nooks and crannies of every paragraph with Biblical language, and does so without an ounce of condescension (I mean, you’ve got to admire someone who writes his strong smelly hands rent open the front of her sweater with a straight face). Faith and miracles crowd each page, dancing like the proverbial angels on a head of a pin. Characters literally walk on air, a pot of soup replenishes itself in loaves-and-fishes fashion, bodies are healed—and, without spoiling too much, I can tell you that there’s a vision of heaven so achingly beautiful that I’m ready to buy a ticket today.
Early in the story, Reuben writes:
Real miracles bother people…Lazarus obeying orders and climbing up out of the grave—now there’s a miracle, and you can bet it upset a lot of folks who were standing around at the time. When a person dies, the earth is generally unwilling to cough him back up. A miracle contradicts the will of earth. My sister Swede, who often sees the nub, offered this: People fear miracles because they fear being changed—though ignoring them will change you also.
Over the course of the Land family’s journey west, there are a lot of miracles and plenty of changes, just as we’ve come to expect in the best of coming-of-age novels. Thanks to its sensitivity and compassion for its characters, this is the best of the best of that genre.
The adults are seen at the periphery of the frame and it’s Reuben and Swede, with their obsession for cowboys and vigilantes, who remain most clearly in focus. Peace Like a River plumbs the depths of childhood with its innocence and blurred optimism.
The real strength of Enger’s book lies in the voice of our young asthmatic guide. Reuben Land is one of the most engaging narrators—young or old—to take control of a book’s pages in a long time. He’s funny, endearing and a fierce champion for his family, no matter how wrong their actions are.
When you read a sentence like Events seemed a wide water into which we’d stepped only to be yanked downstream toward some joyful end, you’ll feel the same way. It’s hard not to be swept away by Enger’s prose. At times, you can practically smell and taste the words on the page.
Coated with a style that could best be described as Biblical, the novel rises steadily to an unexpected and shattering climax which is sure to leave readers gasping for air in the last 15 pages.
Unlike Reuben’s condition, it does not wheeze. It sings. Oh my, how this book sings.
Enger takes the best of writers like John Irving, Tony Earley and J.D. Salinger, then stakes his own territory
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to create a story about family, faith and fugitives that’s as rich in language as it is plot. Let’s not forget to add Harper Lee to that list as well. Peace Like a River bears more than just a passing resemblance to To Kill a Mockingbird. In both novels, parents are a deep and abiding mystery; and childhood, which once seemed to stretch forever, is marked by self-awareness and a sense of closure. End of sentence, end of chapter, end of book. Few writers are able to discuss adolescence in clear-eyed, yet rosy-nostalgia terms that will cause Grown-up Adults to nod so vigorously with recognition that their heads threaten to fall off their necks. Lee and now Enger have managed such a neat narrative trick. Take this sentence, for instance: I remember it as October days are always remembered, cloudless, maple-flavored, the air gold and so clean it quivers. There’s plenty more where that came from.
The novel, set in the early 1960s, is narrated by 11-year-old Reuben Land, an asthmatic boy living in a motherless family whose tender circle is about to be broken by the oldest son. When 17-year-old Davy commits a crime of passion and becomes a fugitive, Reuben, his father Jeremiah and his younger sister Swede set out from Minnesota to follow Davy’s trail across the northern United States. As the family travels in their Airstream trailer and draws closer to Davy, events turn increasingly miraculous, fueled by the elder Land’s belief that he’s got a direct connection to God.
Enger fills the nooks and crannies of every paragraph with Biblical language, and does so without an ounce of condescension (I mean, you’ve got to admire someone who writes his strong smelly hands rent open the front of her sweater with a straight face). Faith and miracles crowd each page, dancing like the proverbial angels on a head of a pin. Characters literally walk on air, a pot of soup replenishes itself in loaves-and-fishes fashion, bodies are healed—and, without spoiling too much, I can tell you that there’s a vision of heaven so achingly beautiful that I’m ready to buy a ticket today.
Early in the story, Reuben writes:
Real miracles bother people…Lazarus obeying orders and climbing up out of the grave—now there’s a miracle, and you can bet it upset a lot of folks who were standing around at the time. When a person dies, the earth is generally unwilling to cough him back up. A miracle contradicts the will of earth. My sister Swede, who often sees the nub, offered this: People fear miracles because they fear being changed—though ignoring them will change you also.
Over the course of the Land family’s journey west, there are a lot of miracles and plenty of changes, just as we’ve come to expect in the best of coming-of-age novels. Thanks to its sensitivity and compassion for its characters, this is the best of the best of that genre.
The adults are seen at the periphery of the frame and it’s Reuben and Swede, with their obsession for cowboys and vigilantes, who remain most clearly in focus. Peace Like a River plumbs the depths of childhood with its innocence and blurred optimism.
The real strength of Enger’s book lies in the voice of our young asthmatic guide. Reuben Land is one of the most engaging narrators—young or old—to take control of a book’s pages in a long time. He’s funny, endearing and a fierce champion for his family, no matter how wrong their actions are.
When you read a sentence like Events seemed a wide water into which we’d stepped only to be yanked downstream toward some joyful end, you’ll feel the same way. It’s hard not to be swept away by Enger’s prose. At times, you can practically smell and taste the words on the page.
Coated with a style that could best be described as Biblical, the novel rises steadily to an unexpected and shattering climax which is sure to leave readers gasping for air in the last 15 pages.
Unlike Reuben’s condition, it does not wheeze. It sings. Oh my, how this book sings.
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LibraryThing member LukeS
With many books, you can proceed with the sensation that the plot is interesting, or the theme a worthy one, or there is a new slant on something, but often with wonderful thoughts like these, we get workmanlike prose, or something basic and serviceable. But in "Peace Like a River" not only is the
This piece is told mainly from the viewpoint of an 11 year-old boy. This boy has a very devout father, who is literally capable of miracles. After a full novel of suffering from asthma, 11 year-old Reuben is shot, and by all rights should die, but his father, also shot, but not critically wounded, performs his last miracle by giving Reuben his healthy lungs so he can live.
The prose serving this lovely tale is charming, flowing, witty, and knowing throughout. It takes us on an unusual journey (plot-wise and idea-wise), and at the end we're given a glimpse of heaven: brightly lit, humming with life, where a river flows uphill. Reuben sees his father, who takes his place in the peace that is like a river.
This isn't really a coming of age. Rube experiences some awfully weighty things for a sixth-grader, witnessing miracles and seeing his fugitive brother, and sitting by, awe-struck and envious, as his little sister composes remarkable verse. This is an extremely enjoyable book, kindly, wise, and a little fantastic. Time quite certainly well spent. Don't pass it by, by any means!
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plot interesting and clearly unfolding, the words along the way hold such enchantment and fun that it has an effect, where one wants to keep turning the pages and finding the next delight.This piece is told mainly from the viewpoint of an 11 year-old boy. This boy has a very devout father, who is literally capable of miracles. After a full novel of suffering from asthma, 11 year-old Reuben is shot, and by all rights should die, but his father, also shot, but not critically wounded, performs his last miracle by giving Reuben his healthy lungs so he can live.
The prose serving this lovely tale is charming, flowing, witty, and knowing throughout. It takes us on an unusual journey (plot-wise and idea-wise), and at the end we're given a glimpse of heaven: brightly lit, humming with life, where a river flows uphill. Reuben sees his father, who takes his place in the peace that is like a river.
This isn't really a coming of age. Rube experiences some awfully weighty things for a sixth-grader, witnessing miracles and seeing his fugitive brother, and sitting by, awe-struck and envious, as his little sister composes remarkable verse. This is an extremely enjoyable book, kindly, wise, and a little fantastic. Time quite certainly well spent. Don't pass it by, by any means!
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LibraryThing member sturlington
This novel opens with a miracle. The narrator, an asthmatic boy named Reuben, recounts his birth, which he wouldn’t have survived if not for the miraculous intervention of his father, who seems to have a direct line to God. This is not the only miracle Reuben will see his father perform during
The novel is written in a folkloric style, which lends it a poetic timelessness. This echoes Swede’s first attempts at writing, which are excerpted throughout by Reuben, as well as their themes: the romantic Old West, good guys versus bad guys, injustice, sacrifice and ultimate redemption. Because mostly, this is a religious book, which is where the story lost me, as I am not a religious person. In the final few chapters, the religious events of the narrative go from subtle to overt. I felt a bit left behind (so to speak) by this transformation, while someone with a stronger sense of faith might feel exalted. Nevertheless, the story is a good one, the kind of story that brings out the child in the reader, and I enjoyed it.
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the course of the story, the bulk of which takes place when the boy is 11. His older brother Davy shoots a couple of boys who are harassing the family and goes on the run from the law. Their father packs up Reuben and his younger sister Swede in an Airstream trailer, and even though they don’t know where Davy has gone, they head West to the Badlands in pursuit of him.The novel is written in a folkloric style, which lends it a poetic timelessness. This echoes Swede’s first attempts at writing, which are excerpted throughout by Reuben, as well as their themes: the romantic Old West, good guys versus bad guys, injustice, sacrifice and ultimate redemption. Because mostly, this is a religious book, which is where the story lost me, as I am not a religious person. In the final few chapters, the religious events of the narrative go from subtle to overt. I felt a bit left behind (so to speak) by this transformation, while someone with a stronger sense of faith might feel exalted. Nevertheless, the story is a good one, the kind of story that brings out the child in the reader, and I enjoyed it.
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LibraryThing member countrylife
Eleven-year-old Reuben Land shares the story of his family, his little sister Swede, a budding author, his older brother Davy, in trouble with the law, his gentle father, their family friends and people they meet on the road during their search for Davy. The family was already in tough times, but
This was a delightful and heartwarming read. I found the story compelling, the characterization perfect, and the words, ahh, the words! Like the smiles between two old lovers - sweet and simple, yet reaching so deep. For instance, “…Roxanna’s moment of transfiguration. I like the phrase, which hasn’t been thrown around that much since the High Renaissance, but truly I suppose that moment had been gaining on us, secretly, like a new piece of music played while you sleep. One day you hear it – a strange song, yet one you know by heart.”
Borrowed from the library, this is now on my wishlist’s A-list. I loved it! My Papa is a Mr. Land, well, except for the miracles. … although … now that I think back on it …
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the new circumstances make things worse. Mr. Land believes in miracles, though, and Reuben is coming around to the same conclusion. This was a delightful and heartwarming read. I found the story compelling, the characterization perfect, and the words, ahh, the words! Like the smiles between two old lovers - sweet and simple, yet reaching so deep. For instance, “…Roxanna’s moment of transfiguration. I like the phrase, which hasn’t been thrown around that much since the High Renaissance, but truly I suppose that moment had been gaining on us, secretly, like a new piece of music played while you sleep. One day you hear it – a strange song, yet one you know by heart.”
Borrowed from the library, this is now on my wishlist’s A-list. I loved it! My Papa is a Mr. Land, well, except for the miracles. … although … now that I think back on it …
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LibraryThing member MarthaHuntley
This book, given or loaned by a friend, sat on my bookcase shelf for years before I finally read it. Even as I started in, there was resistance, as it took a while to get the rhythms and feel of the narrator's voice -- and I'm not sure that ever came easy. But the characters and the story won me
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over big time, and now I want to talk to people about this book and present it to a church reading group. There were things I really, really loved about it. And yet, there were things that never meshed for me -- namely the time, which seems decades earlier than 1962. To the young writer, 1962 must be "the olden days," but they sure weren't like this for me, even in rural North Carolina. The book kept reminding me of two others -- To Kill a Mockingbird, and The Thirteenth Tale. The father and two kids, the bumpy search for justice, of course, for the first book. And Peace Like A River somehow seemed to me to be the masculine counterpart of The Thirteenth Tale, which I considered a very feminine story. Their parallel themes of family and story; and a hearkening to an earlier genre and style of novels, gothic and Western, I thought was striking. Show Less
LibraryThing member maggie1944
I really enjoyed this book which takes the form of a boy's memoir of his family in the 1960s in North Dakota and Montana. This is not a child's book. It is a story of real life seen both through this boy's eyes and his adult eyes also. A neat trick of the author to be able to narrate a story with
This family is struggling its way through a difficult life, filled with tragedy, and filled with a primitive believable faith in God's goodness and caring. (Faith of our Fathers kind of faith) I grew to care deeply for the boy, his sister and his father as they search for a resolution to life's biggest challenge: how to live well despite all the hard knocks.
And I also found the author's very considerable talent in describing the country a great joy, reminding me of my childhood experiences of Idaho ranching country.
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both the innocence and freshness of youth and with the perceptions and reflections of a thoughtful adult. This family is struggling its way through a difficult life, filled with tragedy, and filled with a primitive believable faith in God's goodness and caring. (Faith of our Fathers kind of faith) I grew to care deeply for the boy, his sister and his father as they search for a resolution to life's biggest challenge: how to live well despite all the hard knocks.
And I also found the author's very considerable talent in describing the country a great joy, reminding me of my childhood experiences of Idaho ranching country.
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LibraryThing member indygo88
It seems many readers have loved this book. I liked it a lot, although not sure I loved it. It's sort of one of those bittersweet feel-good books that doesn't necessarily have a lot of action, but just reading about the family dynamics and the series of events that take place within a given space
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of time within the narrator's (Reuben's) life gives you a certain comfortable, cozy kind of feeling. The characterization was great -- Jeremiah Land is the father everyone wishes they had. And Swede (the narrator's younger sister) -- what a hoot she was. I didn't see the ending coming...but I don't think it detracted at all from the story. The only portions I didn't really care for were some of the the stories & legends about outlaws. It did fit with the overall story & feeling of the book, but I found myself skimming through these. Show Less
LibraryThing member LiterateHousewife
Just over an hour into the audio book and I just couldn't believe that it hadn't been going on for double or triple that amount of time. I can't handle the author's writing. It doesn't sound right to my ear. It is terribly irritating. At 1 hour 15 minutes, I turned it off and I doubt I'll look back.
LibraryThing member msf59
Davy Land is sixteen and on the run for an alleged murder. He escapes to the Badlands territory, in rugged North Dakota. He is not only pursued by a persistent federal agent, but his father and two younger siblings, Rube and Swede are also hurtling down the back roads, in a beat-up Plymouth ,
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pulling a silver motor-home with the intention of saving the boy from further catastrophe. The story takes place in 1963 but it has an almost “Old West“ feel to it. It is told from Rube’s point of view. He’s eleven and idolizes his brother. He also has an incredible relationship with his little sister Swede, who at a tender age, is both a poet and deep-thinker. This is a beautiful novel, brimming with magic, family love and encroaching darkness. I cannot recommend it higher! Show Less
LibraryThing member bonneyandrews
This is a wonderful book, but one that is very hard to describe. To begin with, the writing is beautiful. I often listen to audiobooks. Most bestsellers have a very choppy rhythm caused by short sentences and limited vocabulary. This one sounded almost like poetry. The word pictures of mood, scene,
Secondly, I was drawn to this book by the atmosphere of and hope for peace and the positive thoughts of this work. It may sound strange, because the story line concerns murder and death, but this was a very hopeful book.
I am not a religious person, but I have been around religion all of my life. The picture painted in this book of the father matches exactly my picture of the type of person I would hope that religion would create, rather than the Pat Robertsons, Jimmy Swaggarts, and abusing priests and ministers of the world.
I also love the picture of the two precocious children, especially Swede with her literary talents.
On top of that, the plot was well constructed with several surprising twists. This is not a fast moving book a la Dan Brown, but it is a well made one by a master craftsman.
In summary, the most outstanding characteristics of this book are the overall mood established and the beautiful writing along with a well thought out picture of how violence begets violence.
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emotion, and events were what rewarded me the most for reading this book.Secondly, I was drawn to this book by the atmosphere of and hope for peace and the positive thoughts of this work. It may sound strange, because the story line concerns murder and death, but this was a very hopeful book.
I am not a religious person, but I have been around religion all of my life. The picture painted in this book of the father matches exactly my picture of the type of person I would hope that religion would create, rather than the Pat Robertsons, Jimmy Swaggarts, and abusing priests and ministers of the world.
I also love the picture of the two precocious children, especially Swede with her literary talents.
On top of that, the plot was well constructed with several surprising twists. This is not a fast moving book a la Dan Brown, but it is a well made one by a master craftsman.
In summary, the most outstanding characteristics of this book are the overall mood established and the beautiful writing along with a well thought out picture of how violence begets violence.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is a rich and evocative novel about a family with a father who may be touched by God. In a small town, working as a janitor, Jeremiah Hand raises his family alone as a single parent. The children, 11 year old asthmatic Reuben; who tells the story, his fabulous
There is the beginning of a trial but it quickly becomes apparent that the jury will not deliver a favorable verdict for Davy. He escapes and all too soon the family takes to the road in an air-stream trailer which has been willed to them. How they know exactly which direction to head, and how the police are avoided may be due to Jeremiah’s religious convictions but the final confrontation gives us the biggest miracle of all, but as Reuben says, “Make of it what you will.”
Peace Like a River comes across as a simple, heartfelt story, beautifully delivered and served with the feel and flavor of the mid-western plains. A sad yet hopeful story that illustrates the strength of a united family through hardships.
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sister Swede; 9 years old and an accomplished poet who writes about western outlaws, and Davy, who at 17 becomes a killer. Two town boys on whom Jeremiah delivered a beating when he caught them trying to rape Davy’s girlfriend, have sworn revenge on the Hand family. The situation escalates until one night they break into the Hand house with baseball bats in hand. Davy was prepared and quickly laid them out.There is the beginning of a trial but it quickly becomes apparent that the jury will not deliver a favorable verdict for Davy. He escapes and all too soon the family takes to the road in an air-stream trailer which has been willed to them. How they know exactly which direction to head, and how the police are avoided may be due to Jeremiah’s religious convictions but the final confrontation gives us the biggest miracle of all, but as Reuben says, “Make of it what you will.”
Peace Like a River comes across as a simple, heartfelt story, beautifully delivered and served with the feel and flavor of the mid-western plains. A sad yet hopeful story that illustrates the strength of a united family through hardships.
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LibraryThing member msumartini
First book finished since finding out about pregnancy #2! There were many instances in this book where I said to myself, "That is a PERFECT way of putting it." The author has a brilliant way of re-working cliches into original, thoughtful prose. Overall the plot was not as good as the writing.
LibraryThing member cataylor
Eleven-year-old Rube Land tells the story of his childhood as his brother, Davey, who has been arrested for murder, flees and the family goes in pursuit. Small miracles and creative use of language make this book really special.
LibraryThing member eileenmary
My 73 yr old mother recommended it and I read it in 3 days. I thought the story lines was very engrossing and it is supposed to be a Feature Film in 2007.
I found some of the writing hard to grasp, a lot of words I needed to get a dictionary to figure out what the heck they meant.
But all in all I
I found some of the writing hard to grasp, a lot of words I needed to get a dictionary to figure out what the heck they meant.
But all in all I
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would recommend. Show Less
LibraryThing member PatriciaUttaro
I've been re-reading this book because Cosmo had to read it for school and he was totally taken by it. I read Peace Like a River for the first time a couple years ago when it was the selection for All Rochester Reads the Same Book and it didn't really strike a chord with me at the time. When Cos
Peace is a family story full of mystery, memorable characters, and heart. I find myself totally drawn to Swede this time around, even though I found her rather annoying during my first read of the story. I'm wondering now why I wasn't moved by the story the first time I read it. It is full of magical realism, which I first encountered done beautifully in The Milagro Bean Field Wars and thought then that it couldn't be done any better. I was wrong. Enger blends the power of God with faith, healing and love in a way that rivals the story Nichols spins in Milagro. There are no shrines to Smokey the Bear in Peace, but there is Sunny Sundown, which bears a remarkable similarity in meter to my grandfather's favorite poem, The Shooting of Dan McGrew. I'm about halfway through the book right now. I'll be writing more when I finish it.
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loved it, I decided I should give it another try, because this is a man who is not a reader. I wanted to see what appealed to him so much, and believe it or not, I understand.Peace is a family story full of mystery, memorable characters, and heart. I find myself totally drawn to Swede this time around, even though I found her rather annoying during my first read of the story. I'm wondering now why I wasn't moved by the story the first time I read it. It is full of magical realism, which I first encountered done beautifully in The Milagro Bean Field Wars and thought then that it couldn't be done any better. I was wrong. Enger blends the power of God with faith, healing and love in a way that rivals the story Nichols spins in Milagro. There are no shrines to Smokey the Bear in Peace, but there is Sunny Sundown, which bears a remarkable similarity in meter to my grandfather's favorite poem, The Shooting of Dan McGrew. I'm about halfway through the book right now. I'll be writing more when I finish it.
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LibraryThing member donkeytiara
A subtle, understated, fully satisfying book about family ties, tragedy and healing. The LA Times compared the book to Plainsong...need I say more? [=
LibraryThing member 1morechapter
This is a wonderful story about faith and family. The characters are likable and strong, and their faith is even stronger. This family perseveres through tragedy and danger--all the while leaning on God for guidance and direction and each other for hope and comfort. Swede is a hoot! Very well
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written. Excellent story. Read it! Show Less
LibraryThing member bobbieharv
(Audio book)
Kept listening though I really couldn't stand it. Too much God and ballads and irrelevant digressions. Better at the end, but still irritating.
Kept listening though I really couldn't stand it. Too much God and ballads and irrelevant digressions. Better at the end, but still irritating.
LibraryThing member edwin.gleaves
At once chilling and heartwarming, this novel is nothing less than an epic of Americans in the north country.
LibraryThing member punxsygal
After reading a bunch of romantic fluff, it was nice to read a book for the language of the words. I found it beautiful and interesting in that regard.
LibraryThing member kathyappleton
Excellent writing. Would recommend to anyone who struggles with a chronic illness like asthma or to someone who is looking for a well writen book to read.
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Really liked this book - especially the whole treatment of miracles and faith.
LibraryThing member lrobe190
Davy, Reuben and Swede Land live with their father in a small town in Minnesota. When a couple of boys at their school begin to bully and then attack Davy's girlfriend, Davy vows to get even. Soon Davy and the two boys, Israel and Thomas begin a feud that escalates until one night, when Israel and
The tone of the book and some of the characters are reminiscent of characters in the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird". Jeremiah Land, the childrens' father is deeply religious, and according to Reuben, narrator of the book, he can work miracles. Swede, the younger sister, is my favorite character. She reminds me of Scout in "Mockingbird". As the only girl in the family, she has become the de facto Mom, but she is a strong, independent person and fiercely loyal to her family. Her relationship with Reuben is typical brother/sister. Swede is an aspiring writer and Reuben shares many of her works throughout the novel. Through Reuben, we see the struggle between good and evil...if Davy meant to kill those boys, is he an evil person or did they have it coming? He constantly struggles with his love for his brother and his desire to be a moral person.
"Peace" is a highly readable book; I found it hard to put down. The characters are complex and well-defined. The plot is fodder for hours of discussion. I highly recommend this book. Since it is told through the eyes of an 11 year old boy, it could be considered a young adult book, but it would be equally appealing to adults.
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Tommy try to sneak into the Land home, Davy shoots both of them and kills them. His younger brother, Reuben witnesses the shooting. Davy is taken to jail and Reuben is a key witness. In his ambivalence about Davy's real guilt or innocence, Reuben tells things that just makes it worse for Davy. Shortly after this, Davy breaks out of jail and runs off. This begins a chase by law officers, including federal agents, to find Davy. The Land family also sets out to find Davy in a Winnebago fortuitously left to them in the will of a friend.The tone of the book and some of the characters are reminiscent of characters in the book, "To Kill a Mockingbird". Jeremiah Land, the childrens' father is deeply religious, and according to Reuben, narrator of the book, he can work miracles. Swede, the younger sister, is my favorite character. She reminds me of Scout in "Mockingbird". As the only girl in the family, she has become the de facto Mom, but she is a strong, independent person and fiercely loyal to her family. Her relationship with Reuben is typical brother/sister. Swede is an aspiring writer and Reuben shares many of her works throughout the novel. Through Reuben, we see the struggle between good and evil...if Davy meant to kill those boys, is he an evil person or did they have it coming? He constantly struggles with his love for his brother and his desire to be a moral person.
"Peace" is a highly readable book; I found it hard to put down. The characters are complex and well-defined. The plot is fodder for hours of discussion. I highly recommend this book. Since it is told through the eyes of an 11 year old boy, it could be considered a young adult book, but it would be equally appealing to adults.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780802139252
Physical description
320 p.; 5.5 inches
Pages
320