gjxww

I love Annie Proulx's writing and I also love books about the West and meditative works on the natural world. Add these likes with my passion for HGTV and this book seemed like a natural fit for me. Ms Proulx is a wonderful writer but I was not as enthralled with this book as I had expected. I would have liked more information on the process and decisions that led to the design of this massive house. I felt that much of the design for the house was based on snap decisions and not environmentally well thought out. I perhaps should be heartened that such a careful writer can be human when it comes to building a dream house. The book begins with a short genealogical discussion of the author's family. I wasn't taken with this part of the book. The real strength of the book is in the chapters where Ms Proulx observes and comments on the comings and goings of the avian population around Bird Cloud. Here the writing is compelling. The portion of the book dealing with the history and mismanagement of the cattle industry and the terrible toll recreational hunting took on the wildlife of the West during the early part of the Twentieth Century is also quite interesting. I didn't feel connected to the portions of the book where the author discusses construction mistakes and costly delays. Somehow I couldn't feel the author's connection to the actual home.

2022-11-14 17:24