The Fruit of Stone is the story of the lifelong friendship of two men and their love for the woman who eludes them.
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"I really enjoyed this book. I like Mark Spragg's style of writing. Think Cormac McCarthy or Kent Haruf. He uses very spare and direct language. The story weaves back and forth between the main character's childhood and current day. Set on a Wyoming cattle ranch, life is often tough for McEban. All kinds of characters enter into the story including Bennett, McEban's best friend, as well as Bennett's wife, Gretchen. A love triangle is set up from the get-go and things get rough. The author has keen observations about the strength of friendship and dealing with the cards you're dealt."
— Sarah (4 out of 5 stars)
" liked his first book better. this was difficult to follow a little but his prose puts me in rapture. "
— Ashley, 2/15/2014" Loved this book. It's just a good solid read. Great characters and descriptions. Will read more by Mr. Spragg. "
— Dayne, 2/13/2014" Beautifully written, set in the west (wyoming, which I love). About family relationships. "
— Karen, 1/22/2014" So many things in this book are familiar as I grew up on a farm in SD. The men do all their own repairs and work on the ranch. Such a lonely life for the hero in the story. "
— Joann, 12/29/2013" It's no Twilight.... "
— Melmast, 12/27/2013" interesting and a bit bizzare but I like it. Very interesting musings on family and relationships that tie you to places, just like his memoir, Where Rivers Change Direction "
— Erin, 10/23/2013" I really like this author. I read a collection of his essays that I was very impressed with and I thought this novel was wonderful. Kind of Ivan Doig, Kent Haruf like but a little more raw and with the right amount of tragedy. "
— Bronson, 10/20/2013" I still don't get the title. It's a definite SPRAGG. The story started off okay, but then got too desperate and boring and cliche. "
— Barbara, 10/14/2013" this was sad, believeable but too sad "
— Mary, 9/24/2013" Earthy, spiritual and soul searching. "
— Kim, 9/16/2013" Heartwrenching, beautifully written. "
— Mary, 9/6/2013" I thought this was a marvellous and beautiful read. I loved the characters, the storyline and the author's style of writing. This was a book worth reading. "
— Elaine, 5/29/2013" A modern day tale of cowboy love gone unrequited. "
— Joe, 5/8/2013" What did I learn? That life doesn't always turn out the way you expect, but there is still plenty to love and appreciate in it. "
— Martha, 3/23/2013" Fantastic story made even better by the fact that I had travelled through a lot of the area and love the Big Horn Mountains in Wyoming. "
— KapitiKats, 7/7/2011" Could this possibly be the same author who wrote Where Rivers Change Directions? "
— Janice, 7/4/2011" Loved this book. Great writing. "
— Mary, 2/12/2011" I loved this book...the writing is poetic and it's a heartbreaking odyssey the main character allows us to tag along on. "
— Dianne, 11/6/2010" This was a book club book so I felt honor bound to finish it..I was extremely disappointed by the whole story and the end is very disappointing "
— Charlene, 10/20/2010" Very disappointing...I thoroughly enjoyed "Where the River Changes Direction". I thought Ah Unfinished Life was good......I thought this book was strange ....I thought the characters and some of the things they did and said were off the wall. "
— Debidog824, 10/6/2010" So many things in this book are familiar as I grew up on a farm in SD. The men do all their own repairs and work on the ranch. Such a lonely life for the hero in the story. "
— Joann, 9/8/2010" Excerpt: "'There isn't a lot that feels like you think it's going to', his father said." "
— Matt, 7/29/2010" I really like this author. I read a collection of his essays that I was very impressed with and I thought this novel was wonderful. Kind of Ivan Doig, Kent Haruf like but a little more raw and with the right amount of tragedy. "
— Bronson, 3/7/2010" What did I learn? That life doesn't always turn out the way you expect, but there is still plenty to love and appreciate in it. "
— Martha, 8/7/2009" this was sad, believeable but too sad "
— Mary, 6/1/2009" Could this possibly be the same author who wrote Where Rivers Change Directions? "
— Janice, 5/4/2009" Earthy, spiritual and soul searching. "
— Kim, 4/18/2009" This was a book club book so I felt honor bound to finish it..I was extremely disappointed by the whole story and the end is very disappointing "
— Charlene, 3/10/2009" A modern day tale of cowboy love gone unrequited. "
— Joe, 1/15/2009Mark Spragg is the author of Where Rivers Change Direction, a memoir that won the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award, and the novels The Fruit of Stone and An Unfinished Life, which was chosen by the Rocky Mountain News as the Best Book of 2004. All three were top-ten Book Sense selections. He lives with his wife in Wyoming.