High Divide

By: Lin Enger

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

In 1886, Gretta Pope wakes one morning to discover that her husband is gone. Ulysses Pope has left his family behind on the far edge of Minnesota’s western prairie, with only the briefest of notes and no explanation for why he left or where he’s headed. It doesn’t take long for Gretta’s young sons, Eli and Danny, to set off after him, following the scant clues they can find, jumping trains to get where they need to go, and ending up in the rugged badlands of Montana.

Short on money and beleaguered by a treacherous landlord, Gretta has no choice but to seek out her sons and her husband as well, leading her to the doorstep of a woman who seems intent on making Ulysses her own. While out in the Western wilderness, the boys find that the closer they come to Ulysses’s trail, the greater the perils that confront them - until each is faced with a choice about whom they will defend, and who they will become. Enger’s breathtaking portrait of the vast plains landscape is matched by the rich expanse of his characters’ emotional terrain, as pivotal historical events - the bloody turmoil of expansionism, the near total demise of the bison herds, and the subjugation of the Plains Indians - blend seamlessly with the intimate story of a family’s sacrifice and devotion.

©2014 Lin Enger. Recorded by arrangement with Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, a division of Workman Publishing Company, Inc. (P)2014 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

“A deeply moving, gripping novel about one man’s quest for redemption and his family’s determination to learn the truth. . . . Layered with meaning, this remarkable novel deserves to be read more than once. the High Divide proves Enger’s chops as a masterful storyteller.”
—Ann Weisgarber, author of the Promise

Characters, internal reckonings

From a time that seems far away but is shown not to be. Internal reckonings—even the characters’ dreams and inner landscape where experiences are processed.

Well crafted story

A father disappears, leaving his kids and wife, wondering why he left and if he was ever going to come back. The family comes closer together as they try to figure out how to continue on without the income and support of the father figure. They all seek out on their own individually and together trying to find where their father is and to bring him home. Out on the plains, they meet individuals who help them to work through the obstacles that face each of them as they look for forgiveness and redemption.

Amazing. Unexpectedly amazing.

I loved this book. A great piece of fiction. Highly recommend it. Inspiring and moving. A story of seeking forgiveness and redemption.

Great story, beautifully written

The main characters were very well described, their strengths, weaknesses,hopes and struggles fully revealed and explored. The story resonated with truth. The prose was spare but elegant, and well suited to the setting.
I didn't enjoy the raspy voice of the narrator, but think it suited the book.
I appreciated the historical perspective, especially the references to the early explorations and plans of the Smithsonian. As a native Washingtonian, I spent many hours in the Natural History Museum, and am grateful for the foresight and risks the early curators took to preserve an essential part of our country's history.

I didn't like any of the characters

I really loved Virgil Wander which inspired me to read this one by the same author. Was very disappointed.