ith as much sensitivity and as fine an eye for detail as Watson manages in this stunning coming-of-age novel, the winner of the 1993 Milkweed National Fiction Prize.
             The "harshness of the land and the flattening effect of the wind" made life hard in Mercer County, Montana, in 1948, "so much so that nothing was left over for raising hell or making trouble." Well,... read more
             Watson (In a Dark Time, 1980), winner of the 1993 Milkweed National Fiction Prize, offers a lean, gaunt narrative rich with implication about a 12-year-old boy who witnesses the anguish of his sheriff father, who is forced to arrest his own brother for rape. David Hayden, now a history teacher, narrates the events of over 40 years ago, when his father, trained as a lawyer, was in his second term as sheriff of Bentrock, a small community of 2,000 close to the Canadian border. David's grandfather... read more
             The events of that small-town summer forever alter David Hayden's view of his family: his self-effacing father, a sheriff who never wears his badge; his clear sighted mother; his uncle, a charming war hero and respected doctor; and the Hayden's lively, statuesque Sioux housekeeper, Marie Little Soldier, whose revelations are at the heart of the story. It is a tale of love and courage, of power abused, and of the terrible choice between family loyalty and justice.
             Avg. Customer Review: Number of Reviews: 48
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             Reviewer: Jacklyn from Australia February 9, 2000
             Well I found the first chapter drawing me in, of course this was after he ranted about every little detail of the town - that kinda bored me. Then after chapter one I wanted to know what happens, but it was a bit of an anti-climax. Anyway besides the book being a bit dull, it was quite easy to read.
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             Reviewer: Edward Chen from C...