Review of People of the West
Posted: 27 Feb 2023, 08:03
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "People of the West" by David M. McGowan.]
People of the West is a collection of six short stories and ten poems by David M. McGowan. A couple of the poems are co-written with K.L. McGowan. The stories are set in western North America (Canadian territory, mostly) and span the years 1793 to 1966. While the stories are fictional, they are often based on real incidents or characters. The author prefaces most of them with a short preamble giving their historical context and the inspiration behind them.
The book falls into the historical fiction genre, but it could perhaps more accurately be categorised as social history. These are not tales of famous battles or renowned leaders. As the author tells us in the foreword, ‘The stories in this collection are about real people, not idols or public figures.’ One finishes the book with the feeling of having got to know these real people and their lives.
I really enjoyed these short stories. I loved the author’s range, and how he covers so many different subjects and themes. He writes about the cultural destruction experienced by native peoples at the hands of white settlers and about the PTSD suffered by former combatants of the American Civil War. He addresses the absence of women from historical records by telling one story about a female rancher. He details the experiences of people caught up in the maelstrom of world events such as the Wall Street Crash and the Second World War.
All these stories have a powerful narrative that keeps the reader hooked until the end. They are full of strong, relatable characters with whom we identify and empathise. The author’s writing is excellent. He has an obvious connection to the people and the environment he is writing about, as he describes both with the kind of familiarity that isn’t learned from a book.
Turning to aspects of the book I liked less, suffice to say that I enjoyed the short stories much more than the poetry. Truthfully, I would have preferred more of the former and less of the latter. While his short stories grip and educate the reader in equal measure, the poetry left me largely unmoved. That’s a personal opinion, however; other readers might feel differently. The book could also have used another round of proofreading, as I found too many minor errors. It’s a tribute to the author’s storytelling that I didn’t find these distracting.
I am awarding this book four out of five stars. I would have awarded it maximum marks but for the number of errors I picked up. Given that, I don’t think the book has been professionally edited. I would still unhesitatingly recommend it to those who enjoy reading historical fiction and social histories. If you also enjoy poetry, this book is for you!
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People of the West
View: on Bookshelves
People of the West is a collection of six short stories and ten poems by David M. McGowan. A couple of the poems are co-written with K.L. McGowan. The stories are set in western North America (Canadian territory, mostly) and span the years 1793 to 1966. While the stories are fictional, they are often based on real incidents or characters. The author prefaces most of them with a short preamble giving their historical context and the inspiration behind them.
The book falls into the historical fiction genre, but it could perhaps more accurately be categorised as social history. These are not tales of famous battles or renowned leaders. As the author tells us in the foreword, ‘The stories in this collection are about real people, not idols or public figures.’ One finishes the book with the feeling of having got to know these real people and their lives.
I really enjoyed these short stories. I loved the author’s range, and how he covers so many different subjects and themes. He writes about the cultural destruction experienced by native peoples at the hands of white settlers and about the PTSD suffered by former combatants of the American Civil War. He addresses the absence of women from historical records by telling one story about a female rancher. He details the experiences of people caught up in the maelstrom of world events such as the Wall Street Crash and the Second World War.
All these stories have a powerful narrative that keeps the reader hooked until the end. They are full of strong, relatable characters with whom we identify and empathise. The author’s writing is excellent. He has an obvious connection to the people and the environment he is writing about, as he describes both with the kind of familiarity that isn’t learned from a book.
Turning to aspects of the book I liked less, suffice to say that I enjoyed the short stories much more than the poetry. Truthfully, I would have preferred more of the former and less of the latter. While his short stories grip and educate the reader in equal measure, the poetry left me largely unmoved. That’s a personal opinion, however; other readers might feel differently. The book could also have used another round of proofreading, as I found too many minor errors. It’s a tribute to the author’s storytelling that I didn’t find these distracting.
I am awarding this book four out of five stars. I would have awarded it maximum marks but for the number of errors I picked up. Given that, I don’t think the book has been professionally edited. I would still unhesitatingly recommend it to those who enjoy reading historical fiction and social histories. If you also enjoy poetry, this book is for you!
******
People of the West
View: on Bookshelves