3.5
Winter Count
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesWinter Count Reviews
3.5
“Probably a great story book for camping”
““And he wrote poetry in the evening, against a breeze from the window. It was not brilliant poetry, for he could not effect the transition from what he admired to what he wrote, but this did not come into his mind.”
The stories in this collection describe the deep longing humans have for answers about many of life’s ineffable questions. He explores the concept of the past and our obsession with it, friendship, stories and what they mean to us, and even magic. These stories are fantastic, but many of them are just a tad dull. The ones that are good, though, are really good.
“Restoration” was such a beautifully pleasant tale about books and the nature of humanity. The main theme is one of preserving the past so the future generations can remember it, in both restoring books and discovering small details about the life of one man. It gets at our obsession with the past and how we handle it, and opens up many questions about why we focus on the past and if it’s healthy. It was honestly one of the best short stories I have ever read, and easy and solid 5 stars.
“Buffalo” is a fantastic story about the bond between humans and nature, and how animals and those closer connected to the earth are spiritually wiser than we are. The telling was stately, but with a hint of whimsical reverence that made the story feel magical. 4.5 stars.
“The Orrery” is a beautiful story that explores friendship and what it means; it’s mysterious and peculiar and even otherworldly, much like the wind on Earth or the vaguely similar celestial wind of the solar system. 4 stars.
I didn’t understand all of “Winter Count 1973,” but a push for authentic and genuine stories is important. Understanding an individual’s story, and the story of their culture, is what makes us who we are; and the differences between every person and every culture, and between person and their culture, strengthens our bond. 3.5 stars.
“The Lover of Words” is a wonderful tale about enchantment, disenchantment, and re-enchantment with the natural world and mundane things that many of us have gone through or are in the process of going through. 4.25 stars.
The stories that I didn’t mention were ones I didn’t like enough to take note of, and are likely between 2 and 3 stars. Overall, though, this was a beautiful collection! It’s not for everyone, but if you like thematic short stories that make you think, you’ll love this.”
About Barry Lopez
Barry Lopez (1945–2020) was the author of thirteen books of essays, short stories, and nonfiction. He was a recipient of the National Book Award, the Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and numerous other literary and cultural honors and awards. His highly acclaimed books include
,
, and
for which he received the John Burroughs and Christopher medals. He lived in western Oregon.
Other books by Barry Lopez
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