East of the Mountains (Abridged) Audiobook

" read this book because it garnered some good reviews, but I wasn't that into it. loved snow falling on cedars though. "

" Even though you're old and have incurable cancer, there may be valid reasons to go on living, and they're discovered in unexpected ways. "

" After having read Snow Falling on Cedars by the same author, this book was a huge disappointment. Even though the subject matter, a man dying of cancer, was decidedly tragic, East of the Mountains lacked the beauty and the poetry of the first novel. It read like a first draft college essay - the very sad facts were there, but none of the creative energy that Guterson gave us in Snow Falling on Cedars. I think of The Bucket List, Tuesdays with Morrie, and other such novels of someone dying of cancer and this one, well, it does not measure up. It is depressing, and does not offer the reader much else. "

" This is an interesting book about a journey taken by a terminally ill man who planned to commit suicide on his journey. However the things that happen to him and the people he encounters make him realize that he must go home to die. "

" This is by the same author as "Snow Falling on Cedars," so I thought it'd be good. I stopped reading after 100 pages or so. I found myself skimming over page after page of animal violence, detailed descriptions of hunting, dogs fighting, etc. This is not my idea of a good time. I didn't like the main character enough to care about what happened to him. "

" This story never got off the ground for me. Guterson's prose was pedestrian; his insights, predictable. "

" I would read this book just for the scenic descriptions. "

" A quick, easy read. Not as captivating as Snow Falling on Cedars, but not terrible either. Didn't really like the lengthy flashbacks throughout, but that may just be my taste. "

" this book was flawless-very detailed insight into one man's journey-both literal and physical and the people he meets along the way-beautiful. "

" Better than Snow Falling on Cedars, a man learns he has terminal cancer and goes into the mountains to kill himself. Moral beliefs are examined. Loved the writing. "

" A man dying of cancer reflects on his life. Depressing. "

" I liked this story much better than Snow Falling on Cedars (by the same author) "

" My grandma lent this book to my husband, Jeff. While it had the feel of a "man's" book, written by a man for a man, I enjoyed it, too. Jeff liked it even more than I did! "

" It took me a while to get into this book, but that may just be because I didn't give it enough time. I enjoyed traveling and pondering with the main character, Ben Givens, as he inadvertently seemed to find meaning in life. "

" This book had some interesting parts, but parts of it seemed improbable and some parts were boring and unnecessary. "

" Very very slow read. Goes nowhere often and I thought it brought me up just to bring me down again. His writing style in here dissapointed me from "Snow Falling on Cedars", I thought it was very solumn and thought out. "

" A stoic, solitary book about a man with a terminal illness who ventures with his two dogs into the country for a final hunt. "

" Very descriptive of Washington's beauty, as told in a spell-binding story. "

" Fiction about a retired doctor who has cancer and plans to commit suicide. Not as good as Snow Falling on Cedars, but pretty good. "

" Another profound and extremely moving novel from David Guterson. Marvellous. "

" Sad and depressing at times, but very real. "

" Not a total waste of time. "

" the great fear of aging + the sorrow of memories past = one great tearful read. "

" This book sort of had me at hello considering the theme: A elderly Seattle man with cancer decides to kill himself by faking his death in a hunting accident in the land where he grew up. It didn't live up to my expectations, though I enjoyed it nonetheless. "

" a beautiful but at times depressing story. enjoyed the way it captures the spirit of that landscape... (set in the region where i spent middle & high school years.) "

" I think that I would give 3.5 stars (partially because there was a bit of dog trauma.) Reminded me of "World Made by Hand" a little bit, in a good way; lots of getting back to nature. I liked the flashbacks a lot, especially the parts about growing up on an apple orchard. "

" Interesting highlights of aspects of life that would be missed when dying of a terminal illness. "

" Not as good as Snow Falling on Cedars, but a well written story. "

" A strange book that looks at a man's journey toward death. Sad, true, moving and slightly odd. The agonies of knowing life is over, and then finding you still have more to do, more to see, more to offer. "

" sad; couldn't finish and did not grab my attention "

" Sad but really touching book by same author as Snow Falling on Cedars, beautiful writing. Somehow it ends up being uplifting at the end. "