The Cadence of Grass

Rating:
Summary: Offbeat and Well Done
Review: The Cadence of Grass is an offbeat novel about a disfunctional Montana family. The patriarch, Sunny Jim Whitelaw, has just died, leaving a will requiring one of his daughters to reconcile with her estranged husband, a man with a storied and bizarre relationship with Jim, before the release of his main asset, a bottling plant, for public sale. The story follows the family--Jim's wife, two daughters and his friend and ranch foreman, Bill Champion--in the months after his death. All of these characters are a little offbeat, a little bizarre, and there are a number of surprises in their stories, and in Jim's as well. McGuane's writing style, as well, is a little offbeat, a little bizarre, but the novel is refreshing, a little different.

Rating:
Summary: Not for me, thanks--
Review: The poorly titled book is described as "a brawling, barrel-chested novel full of irreverent humor and outrageous characters and situations." Well, no. McGuane was once an interesting writer. No more. Now he's a brawling, barrel-chested novelist full of -- oh, nevermind. Find something interesting from his early work, or better, go back to James M. Cain's SERENADE, which has nothing in common with this effort but is infinitely more interesting and satisfying.

Rating:
Summary: Cadence Of People
Review: The thing I like most about McGuane is his sense of humor regarding the overlooked. His characters are normal people. But they are also edgy. They are gritty and fleshy. I sense though that he would rather be on a horse than writing a novel. I know I would rather be on a horse right now. This is a good book. I also reccomend "Some Horses". It is a book of essay's he wrote that every horse or book fan should read. I just read it for the second time.

Rating:
Summary: The West Now
Review: This very original book invites us to compare two versions of the West, one arriving and one departing. Its story of crumbling families and twisted estate planning is universal. This book is very hard to put down, and its conclusion will leave readers deep in thought for a long time.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Witty, wonderful,whimsical,wicked and wise. This is by far McGuane's best work ever. I laughed and was unable to put this
book down. This will be a best seller soon! Loved it!...