About the Book
A beloved character brings the power of the press to 1920s Butte, Montana, in this latest from the best storyteller of the West
In the winter of 1920, a quirky bequest draws Morrie Morgan back to Butte, Montana, from a year-long honeymoon with his bride, Grace. But the mansion bestowed by a former boss upon the itinerant charmer, who debuted in Doig s bestselling "The Whistling Season," promises to be less windfall than money pit. And the town itself, with its polyglot army of miners struggling to extricate themselves from the stranglehold of the ruthless Anaconda Copper Mining Company, seems like the couple s fast-diminishing finances on the verge of implosion.
These twin dilemmas catapult Morrie into his new career as editorialist for the "Thunder," the fledgling union newspaper that dares to play David to Anaconda s Goliath. Amid the clatter of typewriters, the rumble of the printing presses, and a cast of unforgettable characters, Morrie puts his gift for word-slinging to work. As he pursues victory for the miners, he discovers that he is enmeshed in a deeply personal battle as well the struggle to win lasting love for himself.
Brilliantly capturing an America roaring into a new age, "Sweet Thunder "is another great tale from a classic American novelist."
About the Author :
Often called the dean of writers about the American West, Ivan Doig is the author of such national bestsellers as "The Whistling Season "and "The Bartender's Tale." His work has been translated into Spanish, Japanese, German, and Finnish, and his honors include seven regional booksellers awards, the Evans Biography Prize, and the Wallace Stegner Award, among others. He lives in Seattle.
Review :
Praise For"Sweet Thunder"
"A remarkably solid and prolific novelist in the tradition of Wallace Stegner [Doig s] writing and characters are delightful." "USA Today"
"Doig, who holds a Ph.D. in history, is at his best in his historic novels, and he unspools this compelling tale among the clatter of typewriters and the 'sweet thunder' of printing presses Marvelous yet another Montana book worthy of Doig s prodigious talents." "Seattle Times"
"" Doig makes us feel a part of the very landscape and era about which he is writing while telling a story that keeps the pages turning " Sweet Thunder" stands alone beautifully and when combined with Doig s "Whistling Season" and "Work Song" makes a powerhouse trilogy that belongs on the bookshelf of any reader who enjoys the history of the West. "Montana Magazine"
"Ivan Doig is one of the finest novelists writing today Doig knows how to spin a tale, and he does so here with wonderful language that flows effortlessly from his rich and diverse characters after finishing this fine novel, one just wants more." "Portland Oregonian"
"There have been many charming rogues through literary history, and Mr. Doig brings us another one: Morrie Morgan Doig has a gift of making oddballs believable and lovable, as well as a gift for capturing place and personality in deft strokes an entertaining story at a high intellectual level." "New York Journal of Books"
"Filled with an abundance of rich characters it is Butte itself, a tough-fisted city of plungers and promoters, bootleggers and union workers, sharpers and window men and crooked boxers, that binds the story together. Doig re-creates one of America's legendary cities and fills it with characters to match." "Denver Post"
"Enchanting and different a great end of summer read." Bethanne Patrick, New York 1
"It is always a pleasure to read Ivan Doig, who is consistently able to capture the innocence of another era. It is an innocence that, living in today s world, seems fairy tale-like in the telling. But again, that is what Doig has done exceptionally well throughout his 12 novels, which stand more like bridges to the past than mere tales conjured from his imagination." "Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star"
"Not only are Morrie and his buddies fascinating characters, but so is Butte ["Sweet Thunder"] is a celebration of Doig s love of language and poetry." "Helena Independent Record"
"With a master storyteller s instincts and a dollop of wry humor, Doig evokes a perfect landscape of the past with a cast of memorable characters. A treasure of a novel." "Library Journal" (starred review)""
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." "Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author s customary vigor welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." "Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." "Booklist""
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"A remarkably solid and prolific novelist in the tradition of Wallace Stegner... [Doig's] writing and characters are delightful." -"USA Today"
"Doig, who holds a Ph.D. in history, is at his best in his historic novels, and he unspools this compelling tale among the clatter of typewriters and the 'sweet thunder' of printing presses... Marvelous... yet another Montana book worthy of Doig's prodigious talents." -"Seattle Times"
" ""Doig...makes us feel a part of the very landscape and era about which he is writing while...telling a story that keeps the pages turning..." Sweet Thunder" stands alone beautifully...and when combined with Doig's "Whistling Season" and "Work Song" makes a powerhouse trilogy that belongs on the bookshelf of any reader who enjoys the history of the West." -"Montana Magazine"
"Ivan Doig is one of the finest novelists writing today... Doig knows how to spin a tale, and he does so here with wonderful language that flows effortlessly from his rich and diverse characters... after finishing this fine novel, one just wants more." -"Portland Oregonian"
"There have been many charming rogues through literary history, and Mr. Doig brings us another one: Morrie Morgan... Doig has a gift of making oddballs believable and lovable, as well as a gift for capturing place and personality in deft strokes... an entertaining story at a high intellectual level." -"New York Journal of Books"
"Filled with an abundance of rich characters... it is Butte itself, a tough-fisted city of plungers and promoters, bootleggers and union workers, sharpers and window men and crooked boxers, that binds the story together. Doig re-creates one of America's legendary cities and fills it with characters to match." -"Denver Post"
"Enchanting and different... a great end of summer read." -Bethanne Patrick, New York 1
"It is always a pleasure to read Ivan Doig, who is consistently able to capture the innocence of another era. It is an innocence that, living in today's world, seems fairy tale-like in the telling. But again, that is what Doig has done exceptionally well throughout his 12 novels, which stand more like bridges to the past than mere tales conjured from his imagination." -"Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star"
"Not only are Morrie and his buddies fascinating characters, but so is Butte... ["Sweet Thunder"] is a celebration of Doig's love of language and poetry." -"Helena Independent Record"
"With a master storyteller's instincts and a dollop of wry humor, Doig evokes a perfect landscape of the past with a cast of memorable characters. A treasure of a novel." -"Library Journal" (starred review)" "
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins... Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." -"Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"A remarkably solid and prolific novelist in the tradition of Wallace Stegner... [Doig's] writing and characters are delightful." -"USA Today"
"Doig, who holds a Ph.D. in history, is at his best in his historic novels, and he unspools this compelling tale among the clatter of typewriters and the 'sweet thunder' of printing presses... Marvelous... yet another Montana book worthy of Doig's prodigious talents." -"Seattle Times"
"Ivan Doig is one of the finest novelists writing today... Doig knows how to spin a tale, and he does so here with wonderful language that flows effortlessly from his rich and diverse characters... after finishing this fine novel, one just wants more." -"Portland Oregonian"
"There have been many charming rogues through literary history, and Mr. Doig brings us another one: Morrie Morgan... Doig has a gift of making oddballs believable and lovable, as well as a gift for capturing place and personality in deft strokes... an entertaining story at a high intellectual level." -"New York Journal of Books"
"Filled with an abundance of rich characters... it is Butte itself, a tough-fisted city of plungers and promoters, bootleggers and union workers, sharpers and window men and crooked boxers, that binds the story together. Doig re-creates one of America's legendary cities and fills it with characters to match." -"Denver Post"
"Enchanting and different... a great end of summer read." -Bethanne Patrick, New York 1
"It is always a pleasure to read Ivan Doig, who is consistently able to capture the innocence of another era. It is an innocence that, living in today's world, seems fairy tale-like in the telling. But again, that is what Doig has done exceptionally well throughout his 12 novels, which stand more like bridges to the past than mere tales conjured from his imagination." -"Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star"
"Not only are Morrie and his buddies fascinating characters, but so is Butte... ["Sweet Thunder"] is a celebration of Doig's love of language and poetry." -"Helena Independent Record"
"With a master storyteller's instincts and a dollop of wry humor, Doig evokes a perfect landscape of the past with a cast of memorable characters. A treasure of a novel." -"Library Journal" (starred review)" "
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins... Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." -"Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"A remarkably solid and prolific novelist in the tradition of Wallace Stegner... [Doig's] writing and characters are delightful." -"USA Today"
"Doig, who holds a Ph.D. in history, is at his best in his historic novels, and he unspools this compelling tale among the clatter of typewriters and the 'sweet thunder' of printing presses... Marvelous... yet another Montana book worthy of Doig's prodigious talents." -"Seattle Times"
"Ivan Doig is one of the finest novelists writing today... Doig knows how to spin a tale, and he does so here with wonderful language that flows effortlessly from his rich and diverse characters... after finishing this fine novel, one just wants more." -"Portland Oregonian"
"There have been many charming rogues through literary history, and Mr. Doig brings us another one: Morrie Morgan... Doig has a gift of making oddballs believable and lovable, as well as a gift for capturing place and personality in deft strokes... an entertaining story at a high intellectual level." -"New York Journal of Books"
"Filled with an abundance of rich characters... it is Butte itself, a tough-fisted city of plungers and promoters, bootleggers and union workers, sharpers and window men and crooked boxers, that binds the story together. Doig re-creates one of America's legendary cities and fills it with characters to match." -"Denver Post"
"Enchanting and different... a great end of summer read." -Bethanne Patrick, New York 1
"It is always a pleasure to read Ivan Doig, who is consistently able to capture the innocence of another era. It is an innocence that, living in today's world, seems fairy tale-like in the telling. But again, that is what Doig has done exceptionally well throughout his 12 novels, which stand more like bridges to the past than mere tales conjured from his imagination." -"Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star"
"Not only are Morrie and his buddies fascinating characters, but so is Butte... ["Sweet Thunder"] is a celebration of Doig's love of language and poetry." -"Helena Independent Record"
"With a master storyteller's instincts and a dollop of wry humor, Doig evokes a perfect landscape of the past with a cast of memorable characters. A treasure of a novel." -"Library Journal" (starred review)" "
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins... Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." -"Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"There have been many charming rogues through literary history, and Mr. Doig brings us another one: Morrie Morgan... Doig has a gift of making oddballs believable and lovable, as well as a gift for capturing place and personality in deft strokes... an entertaining story at a high intellectual level." -"New York Journal of Books"
"With a master storyteller's instincts and a dollop of wry humor, Doig evokes a perfect landscape of the past with a cast of memorable characters. A treasure of a novel." -"Library Journal" (starred review)" "
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins... Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." -"Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"With a master storyteller's instincts and a dollop of wry humor, Doig evokes a perfect landscape of the past with a cast of memorable characters. A treasure of a novel." -"Library Journal" (starred review)" "
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins... Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." -"Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"[A] stirring tale of greed, corruption, and the power of past sins... Doig's attention to detail, both historical and concerning characters of his own creation, is as sharp as ever. Long-time fans will recognize familiar names from previous novels and readers both seasoned and new will fall under the spell of Doig's Big Sky Country." -"Publishers Weekly"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"[A] marvelously atmospheric portrait of the bygone newspaper trade and an engaging cast of characters sketched with the author's customary vigor... welcome evidence that Doig, in his 70s, is more prolific and entertaining than ever." -"Kirkus"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "The Bartender's Tale"
"The perfect book for your bedside table. Pick it up, lose yourself in the past and remember what it was like to be 12 years old, when your world and all the people who entered into it felt as fresh as the Montana mountain air." -Associated Press
"With this expert novel, [Doig] sets himself a larger canvas and fills it with a diverse cast... Fact and fiction are skillfully fused to document a boy's last days of youth and a history his father can't leave behind... Rusty's youthful adventures are enchanting, but Doig does something more--he punctuates them with the colorful local idiom of his father's grizzled punters." -"Newsweek/Daily Beast"
"[The] rewards of "The Bartender's Tale"--a subtle and engaging narrative, characters who behave the way real people behave, the joys of careful and loving observation--remain very great and extremely rare." -"The Washington Post"
""The Bartender's Tale "is thoroughly engaging, and the book's soft focus of nostalgia is in itself a kind of pleasure." -NPR
Praise For "Work Song"
"As enjoyable and subtly thought-provoking a piece of fiction as you're likely to pick up this summer. It's a book that can be appreciated just for the quality of the prose and the author's adherence to the sturdy conventions of old-fashioned narrative or for Doig's sly gloss on Western genre fiction and unforced evocation of our current condition--or, better yet, for all those things...
Praise For "Sweet Thunder"
"Think "Shane "but with dueling journalists instead of gunfighters... A stirring tale given a melancholic edge by the fading influence of print newspapers in our very different modern world." -"Booklist"
Praise For "The Bartender's Tale"
"The perfect book for your bedside table. Pick it up, lose yourself in the past and remember what it was like to be 12 years old, when your world and all the people who entered into it felt as fresh as the Montana mountain air." -Associated Press
"With this expert novel, [Doig] sets himself a larger canvas and fills it with a diverse cast... Fact and fiction are skillfully fused to document a boy's last days of youth and a history his father can't leave behind... Rusty's youthful adventures are enchanting, but Doig does something more--he punctuates them with the colorful local idiom of his father's grizzled punters." -"Newsweek/Daily Beast"
"[The] rewards of "The Bartender's Tale"--a subtle and engaging narrative, characters who behave the way real people behave, the joys of careful and loving observation--remain very great and extremely rare." -"The Washington Post"
""The Bartender's Tale "is thoroughly engaging, and the book's soft focus of nostalgia is in itself a kind of pleasure." -NPR
Praise For "Work Song"
"As enjoyable and subtly thought-provoking a piece of fiction as you're likely to pick up this summer. It's a book that can be appreciated just for the quality of the prose and the author's adherence to the sturdy conventions of old-fashioned narrative or for Doig's sly gloss on Western genre fiction and unforced evocation of our current condition--or, better yet, for all those things... A pleasure to read." -"The Los Angeles Times"
"Not one stitch unravels in this intricately threaded narrative... infectious." -"The New York Times Book Review"
"If you were looking for a novel that best expresses the American spirit, yo
Praise For "The Bartender's Tale"
"The perfect book for your bedside table. Pick it up, lose yourself in the past and remember what it was like to be 12 years old, when your world and all the people who entered into it felt as fresh as the Montana mountain air." -Associated Press
"With this expert novel, [Doig] sets himself a larger canvas and fills it with a diverse cast... Fact and fiction are skillfully fused to document a boy's last days of youth and a history his father can't leave behind... Rusty's youthful adventures are enchanting, but Doig does something more--he punctuates them with the colorful local idiom of his father's grizzled punters." -"Newsweek/Daily Beast"
"[The] rewards of "The Bartender's Tale"--a subtle and engaging narrative, characters who behave the way real people behave, the joys of careful and loving observation--remain very great and extremely rare." -"The Washington Post"
""The Bartender's Tale "is thoroughly engaging, and the book's soft focus of nostalgia is in itself a kind of pleasure." -NPR
Praise For "Work Song"
"As enjoyable and subtly thought-provoking a piece of fiction as you're likely to pick up this summer. It's a book that can be appreciated just for the quality of the prose and the author's adherence to the sturdy conventions of old-fashioned narrative or for Doig's sly gloss on Western genre fiction and unforced evocation of our current condition--or, better yet, for all those things... A pleasure to read." -"The Los Angeles Times"
"Not one stitch unravels in this intricately threaded narrative... infectious." -"The New York Times Book Review"
"If you were looking for a novel that best expresses the American spirit, you'd have to ride past a lot of fence posts before finding anything as worthy as "Work Song"." -"Chicago Tribune"
"Richly imagined and beautifully paced." -Associated Press
