Helpful votes received on reviews:
78% (42 of 54)
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Contributions
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Guy Vanderhaeghe, a Canadian writer who deserves much more attention than he receives, has written another masterpiece. If you enjoy Dickensian-like storytelling and effortless historical fiction, A Good Man is a sure bet. Set primarily in Montana and the Northwest Territories (ie. Alberta) in the 1870's, Vanderhaeghe's novel weaves many fascinating historical events and characters together in an astonishingly workable fashion. The North West Mounted Police (including Maj. Walsh), Sitting Bull, various North American native tribes, Custer and the American cavalry, the Fenians, Canadian spies, and Canadian and American politicians all make their appearances without ever feeling… Read more
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Although every subsequent Cars album has merit, the debut album from the Cars is, without question, their best. In fact, I'd wager it's the best new wave album ever made. It combines so many features that add up to excellence, including a perfect balance of edgy guitar and keyboard, and Rik Ocasek's angular vocals. However, the core of the album's brilliance is melody: every song is a fantastically hook-laden pop gem. [A few songs are melodically average, to be sure, but I don't hear any filler in the album, which I can't really say about Candy-O.]
If you're going to get one studio album from the Cars, this is it.
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Guterson is certainly a wonderful wordsmith, and East of the Mountains is a perfect showcase for this talent. Unfortunately, I don't think he's a natural storyteller. Like many novels with literary sensibilities, we witness a retelling of the central character's life, and we discover those pivotal moments that define the character's personality. We are also treated to a beautiful description of Washington State. But we see a much thinner plot than Snow Falling on Cedars. While the latter has a serviceable mystery and a large degree of historical tension to sustain the plot, I find that East of the Mountains really lacks a satisfying conflict to propel the story forward. A man,… Read more
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