last bus to wisdom by ivan doig

Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig
450 pages

What’s it about?
 Donal is 11- years- old and lives on a ranch in Montana with his grandmother.  When she needs major surgery, necessity dictates that Donny head to Wisconsin on the Greyhound bus and stay with his great Aunt Kate and Uncle Herman- people that he has never met and his grandmother is none to fond of.  The adventures of Donny’s summer make up this sweet story.

What did it make me think about?
This book was charming and sweet.  It really made me think about a West that I am not as familiar with.  This is a character driven story.  The plot is slow but steady.

Should I read it?
This is a book for those who like the West and are patient enough to keep turning the pages.  It is not a hard read- but it is not a book for those who are interested in suspense novels.  It is slow, sweet, and very charming.
 
Quote-
“All of which is a way of saying, what an emotion came over me in that precious space of time at Crow Fair.  For the first time that unhinged summer, I felt like I was where I belonged.  Around horses and cattle and men of the ranches and reservations. and the smell of the hay in the fields and the ripple of willowed creek where magpies chattered.  Most of all, I suppose , because he was the author of this turnaround of our lives, in the company of halfway wizardly Herman, the pair of us blest with freedom of the road wherever the dog bus ran, enjoying ourselves to the limit at this peaceable grown-up game of cowboys and Indians.  This is not the prettiest description of a perfect moment, but it was a king hell bastard of a feeing, filling me almost to bursting.”

If you like this try-
​​Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Lila by Marilynne Robinson
The Orchardist by Amanda Copeland
Out Stealing Horses by Per Peterson

7 1/2  stars