Angle of Repose

by Wallace Stegner

English language

Published Feb. 14, 1992

ISBN:: 978-0-14-016930-0

(8 reviews)

Angle of Repose is a 1971 novel by Wallace Stegner about a wheelchair-using historian, Lyman Ward, who has lost connection with his son and living family and decides to write about his frontier-era grandparents. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972. The novel is directly based on the letters of Mary Hallock Foote, later published as A Victorian Gentlewoman in the Far West. Stegner's use of substantial passages from Foote's actual letters as the correspondence of his fictional character Susan Burling Ward was and remains controversial among some scholars. The controversy is somewhat tempered since Stegner had received permission to use Foote's writings, implying as much in the book's acknowledgments page.In 1998, the Modern Library ranked Angle of Repose #82 on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century.

1 edition

essteeyou reviewed Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

Review of 'Angle of Repose' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I didn't know what to expect going into this, and I was very pleasantly surprised.

The characters lived interesting lives, at least for a while. The locations are places I know of, at least a few. They mention Walnut Creek (where I live) a couple of times.

The narrator also has an interesting story, and I was surprised to see it compared to that of his grandparents towards the end.

Very enjoyable.

Jonathan Arnold reviewed Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner

Review of 'Angle of Repose' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

I actually abandoned this book after about 200 pages. The writing was superb but I just couldn't related to the hoity toity central character, who couldn't be bothered to mingle with the little people and constantly whined about wanting to be back East. Maybe she got better as the book went along and started to relate to those around her, but I just couldn't take it any more.