William Haywood Henderson

Walker Avery, a young man alone, never having really known his father, makes his way from the east by sea to San Francisco. It is after the Civil War, and Walker is looking to find where he fits, and armed with a hand drawn map he leaves San Francisco and makes for Wyoming. We follow Walker, a slight young man, yet skilled and resourceful, mild and unassuming, on his travels and through various relationships. He eventually encounters a young native girl, the last of a tribe wiped out by show more disease through contact with the white man. He settles with her, but even then nothing is settled yet for Walker.

The Rest of the Earth is a beautiful story, made even more so in the telling. The descriptive prose brings into play all the senses, we not only see the land through which Walker travels, we sense it, smell it, fell it, hear it and even taste it. The characters come alive, and even though the dialogue is sparse it is yet thoroughly convincing.

This is a book not to be rushed through but one to savour, to enjoy the detailed richness of the writing, the evocation of a time of adventure and discovery; a story which does not need the addition of thrills or drama beyond that which is inherent. show less

I spent the whole book wishing that the style would get out of it's own way and let the story be a story - I suspect that was intentional, but it's not a style I enjoy.

Not as good as the reviews led me to believe-- maybe I've been reading too much historical fiction that has more depth to it -- but this feels more like a visual experience -- words painting images, rather than much depth.

Adele read, 12/25/1997. #159 for her in our old book database.