Customer Reviews

A Trout in the Sea of Cortez

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just want to alert readers out there that do not always listen to the
critics when choosing a book. I bought this book because I liked the opening few pages before checking it out on Amazon, which I always do.
When I read the reviews I thought I made a mistake but quickly learned that I did not. This is a great book if you want to learn about what
middle aged men go through when they wake up to find themselves shy of
forty and their life is a bit off track. The main character offers a lot
of insights about life in general and his in particular. I found him to
be real and empathized with him quite a lot. He makes a lot of cogent points about life in America today. This is a book to savor, and I read it slowly because I enjoyed it immensely. Give it a try.

Just buy the book. It will make your weekend. Salter doesn't waste words and doesn't waste a reader's time. He looks into the sun and finds absolute truths about relationships and honesty and self-doubt. Then he turns the plot and pacing and setting to keep readers guessing, without ever turning gimmicky. Buy it and support cool writers we should have heard of by now.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, "A Trout in the Sea of Cortez". The first 250 pages of the 286 are very nice and move along keeping you going at a nice pace wondering how it's going to end. I would have rather seen a different ending though and I think the ending strains credulity on several levels and is not very believable. The first 80 percent of the novel is basically believable and refreshing.

I do like the topic of mid life crisis for males being a 38 year old male myself and can relate to certain aspects of Dennis Pratt's situation. The author has excellent prose and makes several deft references to other works of fiction, which might be interesting future reading ideas. The location of Eastern North Dakota and Western Minnesota is refreshing as it is a locale that is not covered too frequently in books extent today. I also like the limited use of modern technology, the book isn't constantly involving emails and cellphones and dot com, ipod, etc. which is more refreshing given that we deal with this stuff enough in everyday life.

I would highly recommend reading this book as it is very enjoyable and easy to read, make your own conclusion on the ending.

A Trout in the Sea of Cortez draws the reader in with immensely rich detail and beautiful poetic prose. The narrative is driven forward with startling complications that make this a can't-put-down read. For anyone wanting to see a master fiction writer in action, this is the pick.

A great read on a trip to mexico. I love the way John details the ache of marriage. The story left me wanting another Salter book to read.

I read A trout in the Sea of Cortez right after it came out. And it still resonates with me. It's on my all-time favorite book list! But more importantly: when is the author coming out with another book? Hurry, please.

This is a novel told in the style of a wonderful, highly literate storyteller. I found myself enjoying the many tangents of observation that Salter builds into the basic structure of the story--like when he's parked in his car, smoking a cigarette and watching "the steady flow of cars ooze through downtown Fargo." Then follows a rather long interior monologue --about bald spots, the possibility of his mind being controlled by a "mischievous spirit," or how he should react to his wife's return from an overly-long shopping incident, which, he imagines, is really a tryst with her secret lover. I thoroughly enjoyed these types of zany,humorous and even sad meanderings, which together with an entertaining story line, kept me turning the pages. I am going to recommend this book to my children, who knew the author many years ago, and who are of the same age.

I agree with John's comments, below:

"The first 250 pages of the 286 are very nice and move along keeping you going at a nice pace wondering how it's going to end. I would have rather seen a different ending though and I think the ending strains credulity on several levels and is not very believable. The first 80 percent of the novel is basically believable and refreshing."

Dear John, "Trout" is not a 'good' book, it's a GREAT book. Unlike the blood and thunder of most of what is written these days, your's is a plausible, real-life tale of people doing what people do. It's an adult book but anyone over 30 will be delighted. It hits us where we live. Two measly pages from the end, I still wondered how you were going to get out of the trap you set for yourself. At times it's a bit crude, or maybe just realistic, but Trout provides a wonderful ride. Thanks a million. I may even read it again, just to savor it.