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December 3, 2008

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Out Stealing Horses: A Novel

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Author: Per Petterson
Publisher: Graywolf Press
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$22.00~~
Buy New: $9.94
You Save: $12.06 (55%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $9.94

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

(104 reviews)
Sales Rank: 7968

Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 250
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.4 x 1.2

ISBN: 1555974708
Dewey Decimal Number: 839.82374
EAN: 9781555974701
ASIN: 1555974708

Publication Date: April 17, 2007
Release Date: April 17, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Customer Reviews:

Showing reviews 6-10 of 104

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A beautifully crafted novel November 10, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This is one of the best novels I've read in years, and (in my opinion) one of the finest works of the past few decades. A story that begins (unpromisingly in my initial assessment) with a teenage boy spending his summer in the Norwegian countryside, twists and turns most unexpectedly. Like all great novels, it is ultimately about life and the challenge of living it well. The characters are complex, the story absorbing, the lesson - no man is an island - timeless. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys great literature.

3 out of 5 stars

Norwegian Hemingway November 6, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

I don't know if it was the translator or Per Petterson, but one of them captured Hemingway's rhythm almost perfectly. This is the main character, Trond Sander describing how his father, some neighbors and he cut trees to be floated downstream to a Swedish lumber mill: "...when you are in the swing, and all of you have fallen into a good rhythm, the beginning and the end have no meaning at all, not there, not then, and the only vital thing is that you keep going until everything merges into a single pulse that beats and works under its own steam, and you take a break at the right time and you work again, and you eat enough but not too much, and you drink enough but not too much, and sleep well when the times comes; eight hours at night, and at least one hour during the day."

Nothing much happens in the story. Trond, a sixty-seven-year old man moves to a cabin north of Oslo. His wife has recently died and he wants to be alone, but he meets a man named Lars who turns out to be somebody he knows from his youth. The story flashes back to the last time Trond had seen his father, who eventually left his family. The story flashes further back to the time Trond's father fought for the Norwegian resistance during World War II. And that's how he met Lars' mother, whom he would leave his family for. Then there's the curious statement "Out stealing horses," which was a code for a messenger carrying papers between Germany and Sweden. It was the same expression Lars' brother Jon used when he and Trond would go to a neighbor's corral and ride the horses there, pretending to be stealing them. Jon was so consumed by the horses and other mischief that he forgot he was supposed to watch his little brothers and there was a terrible accident.

The adult Trond Sanders is a moody, moody man who is more consumed by his father's abandonment than he is by his family. When his daughter comes to see him, he's not even sure he wants to see her. He relates better to his dog, Lyra, than he does to human beings. We know Trond was married and has two daughters but we learn nothing about his wife and the other daughter is invisible.

Readers will be frustrated by the lack of resolution. We assume Trond's father raised Lars, but we never find out for sure. Trond seems afraid to ask. Perhaps Trond is hesitant because he doesn't want to establish a human relationship with Lars. Although Lars recognizes Trond and vice versa, they spend an entire afternoon sawing a tree that has fallen in Trond's yard, but their conversation is never more significant than a discussion of the weather. Petterson seemed to be aiming for emotional impact rather than story resolution. I did feel sorry for Trond, but I also wanted to kick him in the butt.

2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing after the very strong reviews.... November 1, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Agree with several of the other reviewers - this is a slow read. I bought based on the very positive comments and reviews, both on the book cover and from other Amazon readers. My wife and I both read it, and stuck with it to the end expecting the story to develop but it failed to keep our interest, although I would describe it as a thoughtfully written. On a positive note, it evokes the claustrophobic, isolated Swedish winter rural landscape effectively as the backdrop.

4 out of 5 stars

hooked from the start October 30, 2008
This is a book for people who read for language, the turn of phrase as well as the story. I read this in 16 hours. There is a mystery in the atmosphere of this book compelling the reader to read on.. My first Norwegian translalation. A worthy read.

5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant. A reader's delight. October 20, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

There are few books I've read in the past ten years that touched me as this one did. The character is masterfully portrayed, the language splendid and the elegiac tone perfectly suits the story and perspective. A book of enormous compassion and insight into the human condition.

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