Raised on tales of cowboys and pirates, eleven-year-old Reuben Land has little doubt that miracles happen all around us. Reuben was born with no air in his lungs, and it was only when his father, Jeremiah, picked him up and commanded him to breathe that his lungs filled. Reuben struggles with debilitating asthma from then on, making him a boy who knows firsthand that life is a gift, and also one who suspects that his father can overturn the laws of nature. The quiet midwestern life of the Lands is upended when Davy, the ...
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Raised on tales of cowboys and pirates, eleven-year-old Reuben Land has little doubt that miracles happen all around us. Reuben was born with no air in his lungs, and it was only when his father, Jeremiah, picked him up and commanded him to breathe that his lungs filled. Reuben struggles with debilitating asthma from then on, making him a boy who knows firsthand that life is a gift, and also one who suspects that his father can overturn the laws of nature. The quiet midwestern life of the Lands is upended when Davy, the oldest son, kills two marauders who have come to harm the family. The morning of his sentencing, Davy escapes from jail, and the Lands set out in search of him. Meanwhile, a federal agent is trailing the Lands, convinced they know of Davy's whereabouts. Sprinkled with playful nods to biblical tales, beloved classics such as Huckleberry Finn, the adventure stories of Robert Louis Stevenson, and the westerns of Zane Grey, Peace Like A River unfolds like a revelation.
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Add this copy of Peace Like a River to cart. $16.75, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Wheeler Publishing.
Add this copy of Peace Like a River to cart. $16.75, fair condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Dallas rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Wheeler Publishing.
This author hit a home run with his story AND writing on this. I've read it before, lost my copy, and ordered two more so I could have and donate one to my small-town library. Yes, it's that good!
David C
Jun 6, 2013
Feel the rhythm
I am re-reading Peace Like a River just to enjoy the rhythm of Leif Enger's writing.
To borrow a line from the book, it lopes along "champing and snorting and kicking up clover".
COVER2COVER
Jan 23, 2010
This is great story and very original. I love reading books where you cannot predict or see the end coming. This is a story about Jeremiah Land, a devout man of faith and principle, and his three children. First is Davy, the oldest and very self confident. Second is Reuben, severely asthmatic, and also the narrator of the story, and third is the nine year old sister, Swede, who is apparently something of a genius and budding writer/poet. When Davy is being charged with murder for killing a pair of intruders, he manages to escape from jail. The family starts out on a quest to find him, and various federal and state investigators are on their trail hoping to be led to the fugitive. Miracles seem to be common occurances for the praying Jeremiah, and when the angels aren't fighting for the Lands, Reuben and Swede try to take up the slack, for better or worse, and sometimes hilariously. As other reviewers have said, this story manages to be told without either bad language or sex. It is a wonderful story and completely refreshing.Dont miss this one!!
Veraqd
Jan 21, 2010
I ordered this book for my husband for Christmas. He loved it!! He said it was one of the best books he has ever read.
maygiles
Sep 10, 2009
GREAT book!
I loved this book. Parts of it are hysterical, others poignant. Enger's description of the people and the environment are vivid.
I bought this book shortly after it was published, read it, and gave it to a friend to read (and return). It got passed on to another friend and I never got it back. So, I had to buy another copy because I want to read it again.
There aren't very many books out there that can tell an intriguing story without using swear words. It's a beautiful book that uses clean language only. I respect Engel for this.
