In the Distance Paperback – October 10, 2017

Loneliness and solitude permeate the atmosphere of this strange and absorbing tale. No conventional western ever quite like it. The writing is crisp and the language used throughout can be described as playful. For a debut novel it resonated with maturity in the writing of it. Hakan is a character I will remember for some time and his story is one of loneliness, grief and solitude. Some have remarked on the ending as sudden or disappointing with no resolution. I found the opposite to be true. The ending meshed with the opening prologue in, for me, a satisfying manner and the conclusion of the story reminded me of Tom Hanks driving off into the distance at the end of Castaway.The writing engaged me throughout, especially toward the end and the two chapters devoted to his existence in the burrow. Never have I read such poignant sentences defining solitude and isolation. There was also a full page near the beginning that was filled with English as Hakan, a Swedish immigrant, heard it that I found startling and brilliant.This novel has been nominated for numerous awards and would deserve any and all of them. A masterful work, an engaging read, memorable writing and characters, worth every one of the 5 stars I've given it.

Although I have rarely read a book with such beautiful storytelling, I found myself frustrated along the way. Nevertheless, this is a fine read from a very gifted writer. I don’t want to give anything away so I won’t go into detail, but if you’re a person who appreciates a talented writer, this is an extraordinary book.

The reader may start this book and think, "This sure seems familiar." Indeed, the author mirrors motifs we've encountered in westerns by Zane Grey or Louis L'Amour or in the oaters we've watched in the cinema and on TV. There is the expected cast of characters: good guys and bad guys, Native Americans, pioneers, cowboys, gold miners, posses and soldiers. But actually, Diaz's novel surpasses all that in a raw and unvarnished tale. There is little dialogue and his lyrical prose gives the main characters a depth and breadth that include both physical features and demeanors. He describes in vivid detail the settings of the West from canyons to mountains, prairies to deserts in the blazing heat of summer to the frozen depths of winter.The plot is about two Swedish brothers, Håkan and Linus Söderström who are sent by their father to America so they will have a brighter future. It is around 1849, the time of the Great American Gold Rush. The boys sail to Portsmouth, England and plan to board a ship for NY, but the boys get separated. Håkan sails by himself on a boat bound for California and he assumes his brother has sailed to New York. As soon as Håkan lands, he seeks to cross the country to get to New York and find his brother. It is "a journey of an unfilled idea". The thought of a reunion with his brother pulls the protagonist like a steady and strong magnet. While waves of pioneers move west, Håkan journeys east. The reader is most often his sole companion and confidant for Håkan is a man of few words who lives mainly in his head. "His mind was empty, but sometimes that void demanded all his attention." The narrative slows and the reader experiences with Håkan the plodding routine of a grueling trek that at any moment can take a dangerous turn. The novel's conclusion is unexpected and yet, in character with the protagonist. Will he ever find the peace and safety he seeks? This remains for the reader to decide.

3 stars. In the Distance is a read unlike any other. Hernan Diaz successfully creates an atmosphere that is equally dreamlike and gritty. The plot and development are unpredictable, but on the other hand, the meditative quality of the book lacks the same compelling power of a page-turner. Still, by the end, I found myself reflecting on the novel's themes of immigration, home, and place. Overall, a solid and enjoyable read.

“…battered and exhausted as he was, these were not the reasons why he stopped. He stopped because it was time to stop. He had not arrived anywhere. There simply were no more steps to take.” (p206)This book opens powerfully, as the author takes his time introducing Hawk, a fascinating, world-weary misfit who’s feared, ridiculed, and misunderstood. Hawk begins to tell his story, and we, as readers, are hungry to hear it. What follows is an eye-watering account of his brutally difficult life immersed in the ruthless, unjust, and violent world of the California gold rush; we see and feel intensely the fears, superstitions, greed, ignorance, and cowardice behind this violence. Occupying center stage, though, is the protagonist’s emotional and intellectual evolution, an inner life the author treats brilliantly. Ultimately, this is a poignant reflection on solitude. It’s about a downtrodden but resilient man’s struggle to insulate himself from the evil around him, the grace that results from the struggle, and the price he pays for it.

From the moment I started reading this book I was captivated and could not stop reading until well into the night. What an unforgettable story . What resolution! This story is unforgettable.

You'll get to know how people lived in the late 1800's, you'll get to know the diferrence between cultures and how the world was discovered day to day.The solitude and inner voices will lead your houghts as you enjoy this magnificent novel

Not a Western but rather a story of someone’s peculiar journey through the western US in the 1800’s.

I really enjoyed this book - it gave a real sense of the hardships of early settlers to the American west.

Es una gran primera novela de Hernán Díaz ganador del Pulitzer con “Fortuna”. Linda edición, bien cuidada.

Hernan Diaz tells us America : immigration, gold rush, going west or east. He is close to his brother just like in Of Mice and Men.It' s a very good book.

The story has the essence of an epic with the main character, Hakan, traversing the US wilderness learning about life through a series of encounters with various characters, both good and bad, a bit of a mix between Dances with Wolves and Forrest Gump. Sadly however Hernan fails to pull the saga together into a coherent tale. There is only a thin connection between Hakan’s various learnings the chance for the author to make a defined statement of the state of humankind is missed, lost amongst the periods of wandering or digging holes that go on too long with little explanation.The style of writing is easy to read and at times quite descriptive, but the authors treatment of time varies from minute to minute to decades and this fractures the telling of the story. There are also a couple of sections where several pages are repeated. This may be a means of highlighting the passing of many years, but if so it is not done that well. It seems like an editing mistake.Overall, the book is easy to read, the promise of an interesting tale keeps you engaged, but the failure to bring together a comprehensive story line leaves the reader feeling that a good op

This story felt like the film 'The Revenant' (very different story, same kind of feeling), although we only imagine what happens to the character in the end. I really enjoyed the book.