In Open Spaces [Paperback]

Russell Rowland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 4, 2002

Set in the vast and unforgiving prairie of eastern Montana from 1916 to 1946, In Open Spaces is the compelling story of the Arbuckle brothers:

GeorgeA rising baseball star who mysteriously drowns in the river

JackA World War I veteran who abandons his family only to return to reclaim the family ranch

BobThe youngest brother, whose marriage to Helen creates a fault line between him and the rest of his family

Blake

A shrewd, observant man burdened with growing suspicions of Jack's role in his brother's death

With breathtaking descriptions of the Montana landscape, Russell Rowland masterfully weaves a fascinating tale of the psychological wars that can rip a family apart...and, ultimately, the redemption that can bring them back together.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sibling rivalry turns sinister in Rowland's outstanding debut, which follows a Montana ranching clan as it struggles to survive the Depression, two world wars and family tragedy. Narrator Blake Arbuckle finds himself torn between trying to preserve his tattered family and striking out to pursue a baseball career, after his older brother George drowns in the Missouri River near the family's ranch and his younger sister dies of spinal meningitis. George's death brings out the manipulative dark side in another of Blake's brothers, Jack, who is suspected of foul play in the incident, and after a series of bitter fights with his father about ranch work, Jack takes off and enlists in the army. He reappears several years later with a beautiful woman, Rita, in tow, and Blake's instant attraction for his brother's bride increases as Jack's various character flaws begin to resurface and he eventually leaves Rita. Blake turns down his chance to escape after a promising tryout with the Cardinals, and the family turmoil over the fate of the ranch increases exponentially when another brother, Bob, brings home Helen, a partner as devious as brother Jack. Rowland's examination of family dynamics is poignant and revealing, especially as he unveils a series of revelations about Jack's womanizing, his fraudulent war record and a series of unscrupulous business deals culminating in a scheme to take control of the ranch. Blake's compassion makes him a memorable narrator, and Rowland's sense of craft and control, as well as his ability to integrate the land into the tale, make his book a noteworthy debut.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

“A heartfelt debut...[An] unpretentious, involving story told with unfaltering authority.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“[An] outstanding debut...Rowland’s examination of family dynamics is poignant and revealing....” (Publishers Weekly (starred review) )

“Charged with dramatic tension -- a joy to read.” (Ha Jin, author of Waiting, winner of the National Book Award )

“In Open Spaces...is sage, humane, and immensely readable.” (C. Michael Curtis, senior editor, Atlantic Monthly )

“Compelling. Cinematic. A fine first novel about the strength of family.” (San Francisco Weekly )

“Russell Rowland’s In Open Spaces is as good as it gets...a powerful book.” (C.J. Box, author of Open Season and Savage Run )

“Like Norman McLean’s A River Runs Through It,...Rowland...brings [Montana’s] unique beauty alive....Good reading.” (Denver Post )

“A family epic that has a muted elegance.…A gracefully understated novel.” (New York Times Book Review )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 365 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial; 1st edition (June 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060084340
• ISBN-13: 978-0060084349
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #942,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Story..., September 12, 2004

By 

Mercedes L. Johnmeyer "The Most Happy" (Summerville, SC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Open Spaces (Paperback)

This book took me about 2 weeks to finish. Not because it's slow, or boring...just the opposite. This was a beautiful look at a ranching family in Montana, and the struggles they go through with the land and each other. I didn't want to rush this book in any way. I wanted to savor every chapter, which is just what I did. The detailed discriptions of the land, and how their life is run made me feel like I was right there.

Blake Arbuckle tells the story of his family that begins in 1916 when he's 13 yrs. old, and goes on to 1946. By the end of this book I felt like they were all part of my own family. I highly recommend this book. Even though it's not fast paced, or a riveting tale that you finish in one day, it's a fascinating look at what life was like on a ranch, and the trials this one family endures. I would love to see a sequel to this book to find out what happens to the next generation of Arbuckles.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opened a Door to My Heart, June 17, 2002

By 

James J OKeefe (Port;and, ME United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Open Spaces (Paperback)

This breathtakingly good debut positively floored me. It is at once majestic and intimate. The author presents a family of strong, unique characters who must act as one to survive the unforgiving open spaces of Eastern Montana -- even as the family members increasingly form and break alliances with one another. Rich in detail, the author's ranchhand roots clearly run deep. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interst in "guy stuff" (ranching, baseball, murder?), "girl stuff" (unrequited love, intrafamily dynamics, handsome cowboys) or just stuff (life during the depression, hitching rides in mail trucks, how to hold a cigarette).

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MAKE SPACE ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND ..., June 21, 2002

By 

barry a beckman (berkeley, ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Open Spaces (Paperback)

A friend turned me on to this one. What a stunner! A pitch perfect description of the tribulations facing a family attempting to survive each other and the rough, rough world of Montana ranch country in the first half of this century. The challenges facing the Arbuckle clan are overwhelming and bleak, and yet this book is absolutely charged with energy, life, and passion. I could not get the main characters (esp. Blake, Jack or Rita (ooooh, i LOVED rita), out of my head. And if for no other reason, read this book to experience what I will only describe here as an intense medical procedure performed on an injured (and profoundly angry) cow by lay people with no anestheia, one of the most gripping (and if you can believe it, sexually charged) scenes I have ever read. Like the "Corrections", Rowland captures both the intimate details of family life AND the overall impact of large societal forces (in this case, WW1, the great depression and relentless dust bowl, and WW2). This book is not getting the attention it deserves, it is one of the finest books i have ever read, grand in scope and true in its details.