Customer Reviews

Hell's Bottom, Colorado: Stories

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Hell's Bottom, Colorado" benefits from sharp, focused writing and real-life details, which make the stories ring true. Though each story stands alone, there is the connectedness of family saga as we are introduced to distinct, evocative members of this modern-day ranch family. A truly pleasant read.

Pritchett evokes the vivid images of landscape, ranching and families in the West. Set along Rocky Mountains, these stories show the beauty and sometimes messy reality of farming, ranching, and living. When writing in her clear-eyed prose, Pritchett has perfect pitch: all of her charcters and stories ring true. Highly Recommended.

This is an outstanding book! Pritchett' interconnected stories are a matter-of-fact and essential portrayal of the contemporary American West. Pritchett's characters are vivid in spite of (or beause of) her simple prose. Through the characters you get a feel for the beauty and stark reality of raising cattle, and families, in the Intermountain West. A refreshing read among the usual clutter of literature today.

Hell's Bottom is a poignant collection of short stories that chronicles some of the watershed events in the lives of a Colorado ranch family. It's quite enjoyable on several levels.

I especially appreciated the attention to detail about life in modern rural America. This book chronicles ranching activities in an accurate manner- one can tell the author is familiar with this way of life. I don't believe that an outsider could have presented such an honest portrait. This realistic backdrop helped the already interesting characters become even more alive for me.

Hell's Bottom is an excellent read. I look forward to more by this author.

Pritchett's short stories are psychologically insightful into life's sometimes painful details and hidden triumphs -- expressed within the framework of everyday existence. Hard to find writing like this -- definitely worth your time.

I live in Larimer County of Colorado near where Laura Pritchett was raised. Although I believe the book was meant to be pure fiction, (murders are rare in our community, as are abortions) I see glimpses of our neighbors. The fire, the calf-birthing, the record-keeping--all of these things ring true. The relationships are sometimes painful, but also believable. I generally do not enjoy short stories, but these stories of one family are held together nicely.

Laura Pritchett has written an honest, elegant collection of stories about Colorado ranch life. This was the most engrossing, illuminating, and again, I use the word 'honest' set of stories I have come across this year. I read the book in one sitting, which for me is unusual. She successfully showed me a piece of America I formerly knew little about, and did so with the clarity and poignancy of a true poet.