Platte River [Hardcover]

Rick Bass (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 1994

Mahatma Joe,"" ""Field Events,"" and ""Platte River""--explore the relationship of humankind with the natural world and the struggles of the human heart in the context of nature and its wonders. 12,500 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The characters in this impressive collection of three novellas are all outsized--in body, and in longing for the sanctuary and protection of love. Water is a unifying factor, a symbol of the free-flowing clarity and strength they aspire to achieve. The tales have an almost magical intensity, born of clear, supple prose animated by stark and startling imagery. In "Mahatma Joe," an obsessed, aging preacher who has tamed the passions of the residents of Grass Valley, Montana, brings a curious salvation to the young woman who tests her physical strength as she comes to share his vision. "Field Events" introduces Paul Bunyan-sized A.C., whose muscular power moves him to dance in a field with a cow on his back. His mute need for love leads him to join the Iron family, among whom he learns to throw the discus--and much more. The protagonist of the title story is Harley, an aging former linebacker, whose visit with a former college buddy gives him a glimpse of the limitations of his body and of the elusiveness of human connection. Bass ( The Ninemile Wolves ) is known primarily for his lucid and lyrical writing about nature, and this collection has plenty of that--all three stories take place within a stone's throw of the Canadian border in harsh environments briefly made idyllic by warmer seasons. But what makes this a compelling book are his finely detailed, complex characters, simple men and women crafted with sympathy and understanding. Author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

If one combined a healthy serving of North American tall tales with a generous portion of Norman MacLean's A River Runs Through It , the tantalizing mixture would resemble these three delectable novellas. Within this rich blend of naturalism touched by mystery, the exhilarating landscapes of Montana, upstate New York, and northern Michigan inform the book as fully as the human principals. "Mahatma Joe" presents a failed evangelist acting out metaphors in pursuit of salvation: he literally skates on thin ice in the dark while attempting to sow a garden. In "Field Events," a gentle giant, who exercises by lifting cows, energizes a burnt-out school teacher. The title story sends a lovelorn, has-been athlete to face unexpected revelations in the course of a remarkable all-night fishing party. Known for his prize short stories and nature writing ( Oil Notes , Houghton, 1990; Ninemile Wolves , LJ 5/15/92), Bass demonstrates here his mastery of longer fiction. Recommended for all collections. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/93.
- Starr E. Smith, Fairfax Cty. P . L . , Va.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 145 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin; 1st edition (February 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395680808
• ISBN-13: 978-0395680803
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #939,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not the most uplifting book I've ever read, but....., April 29, 2001

By 

Karen S Diehm (Westport, Wa USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Platte River (Paperback)

You get an overall sense of gloom from the peoples lives in the book, but I believe the author wants you to look deeper than just that. One story is basically the more the change, the more the things remain the same. Another looks at peoples strengths vs. weakness's and surprisingly where you will find them. And, finally, another looks at looking inside yourself. Among this, is the most beautiful and desriptive narrative of mother nature in all her glory. You can easily picture Exactly where and what he is talking about. It never fails that a few words thrown together will bring back memories of your own that you had long forgotten.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A warm, introspective read, filled with lush imagery of beautiful natural wonders., June 8, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Platte River (Paperback)

Award-winning author Rick Bass presents Platte River, an anthology of three novellas each of which presents a human heart experiencing the infinite majesty of God's natural creation. "Mahatma Joe" is the tale of an evangelist who makes a home for himself in Grass Valley, Montana, and the woman who falls head over heels for his vision of the world; "Field Events" is the story of a woman who pines for an athlete who is even more muscular than her discus-tossing brothers; and "Platte River" is about a man's meditation on the nature and meaning of loneliness, peace, and the search for love. A warm, introspective read, filled with lush imagery of beautiful natural wonders.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book by Rick Bass., April 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Platte River (Hardcover)

These stories are about something that no one else I know of is writing about. I can't make out what it is exactly. I'll leave lists of superlatives to professional book reviewers and just give you what for me is the bottom line -- this book is important