Book 70: The Other

This is a very well written novel by David Guterson. He's got an interesting plot, good character development, plus all the technical writing skills down. He absolutely handles temporal changes with no confusion -- flashing back to multiple past times and coming back to present day. It's a nice change from Charlaine, who tells me a story that I can't wait to finish, with characters I really enjoy, but in a slap-dash way, and sometimes so technically poorly she'd fail if I were her English professor.

Guterson tells of two boys who meet in high school, one rich and one working class. They become friends and spend a lot of time hiking and exploring the mountains in Washington. The middle class one narrates the story for us, and he lives a sort of typical American life: goes to college, gets married, has kids, becomes a teacher. He continues to visit his friend, who has rejected all the bullshit of "hamburger world." The rich kid gives it all up to become a hermit.

Mr. Middle Class feels a little torn about not Following Through and becoming a hermit with his friend -- he understands that choice. But he loves his wife and his life, and even sort of "hamburger world" itself.

It's a great read, and I'll probably see if I can get my hands on a copy of Snow Falling on Cedars now, and his handful of other novels.