The Country Ahead of Us, The Country Behind

“Guterson displays a fine eye for the mysteries of the human soul, creating dramatic moments that are often layered with social and historical complexities and framed by the stark beauty and terror of the natural world…. Touching moments of intimacy abound in David Guterson’s short stories, resulting in a bracing collection that speaks to the heart and mind both.” —Chicago Tribune

“These short stories by the author of Snow Falling on Cedars center on men in the Pacific Northwest, characters whose emotions are sometimes as isolated as the landscape. The author tracks the elements of this world with a precision that evades both vagueness and cliches.” —The New York Times