4 stars. A lyrical, humble recounting of the author’s childhood on a dude ranch in Wyoming, Mark Spragg’s Where Rivers Change Direction reads like a love letter to open spaces, horses, and freedom. His writing has evocative power to inspire longing for the mountain landscapes of his youth, and his honest and hardworking way of life. I especially enjoyed the gruff warmth and subtle humor of his father, which is frequently disguised with his acerbic tongue. Spragg’s childhood is by no means easy; in addition to the hard labor of ranch work, he faces the unforgiving environment and the consequences of bad choices. The harshness of his upbringing is offset by his moving prose and clear retelling of his emotions.
The book lost steam for me towards the end; the episodes from his adult life seemed to lack the emotional resonance and impact of his childhood. They were still well-told, but seemed to change the focus of the book away from the intense coming-of-age narrative that was so powerful.
An excellent autobiographical read, Where Rivers Change Direction combines raw emotion and a hardscrabble way of life in beautiful narration.
Carl's Geek Notes 