Roses Are Difficult Here [Paperback]

W.O. Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 18, 2000

This is a novel of small-town life. The town where roses are difficult is Shelby, in the Alberta foothills, and the time is the 1950s. Matt Stanley, the editor of the local paper, relishes the range of people he meets, from Willie MacCrimmon, the local shoemaker and demon curler, to the oldest resident, Daddy Sherry, all the way to the disreputable Rory Napoleon and his wife, Mame, who once conceived at the top of a ferris wheel “because there was nothing else to do.” But when a sociologist arrives to study the town, Matt takes her under his wing, which produces unexpected results. From scenes of high comedy (as when Santa comes to Shelby, or when Rory Napoleon’s goats invade the town) to gentle sadness, this 1990 novel shows W.O Mitchell at his traditional best.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is a helluva book”
–Globe and Mail

“Mitchell’s newest novel is a classic, capturing the richness of the small town, and delving into moments that really count in the lives of its people.”
–Windsor Star

“Entertaining and insightful.”
–Toronto Star

“Vintage Mitchell.”
–London Free Press

From the Inside Flap

This is a novel of small-town life. The town where roses are difficult is Shelby, in the Alberta foothills, and the time is the 1950s. Matt Stanley, the editor of the local paper, relishes the range of people he meets, from Willie MacCrimmon, the local shoemaker and demon curler, to the oldest resident, Daddy Sherry, all the way to the disreputable Rory Napoleon and his wife, Mame, who once conceived at the top of a ferris wheel "because there was nothing else to do." But when a sociologist arrives to study the town, Matt takes her under his wing, which produces unexpected results. From scenes of high comedy (as when Santa comes to Shelby, or when Rory Napoleon's goats invade the town) to gentle sadness, this 1990 novel shows W.O Mitchell at his traditional best.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: McClelland & Stewart (March 18, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0771061099
• ISBN-13: 978-0771061097
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,176,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Should have been a short story, July 8, 2001

By 

"momandteacher" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Roses Are Difficult Here (Paperback)

This book is set in 1950s Alberta in a small town called Shelby. A sociologist arrives to research rural life and turns the little town upside down, starting with the weekly newspaper and its owner. It is basically a comedy so things end up better than when they started; but there isn't a lot of meat on this bone. Too much local color dialect is thrown in for show, and that takes away from the story. If I had been his editor I would have encouraged him to trim this 300 page book way, way, way down to a longish short story. It is full of quirky characters and is a fun read. The best of the characters (and the reason why this book gets 3 stars from me) is the town's garbage collector, Rory Napoleon. He falls off the wagon in a big way and it is incredibly funny. I took this book with me on vacation and I would recommend it to others who are going away and want a light read.