Out Stealing Horses

For anyone who has "stolen" rides on horses as a child, this book recalls wild rides through pastures and woods. But this novel is much more: a taut, emotional quest into a sixty-seven year old's past. A widower, Trond Sander, moves to an isolated cabin near Norway's southern border with Sweden. The place--one he knew well as a child--forces him to examine his relationship with his father and his best friend and an accidental shooting that resulted in the death of a child. The author evokes the magic of this landscape: tundra, forest, dramatic skies, animals roaming at night, a neighbor, who also possesses secrets from his past, but what's more, Petterson captures the deep emotional landscapes within. His realistic portrayal of a man finally accepting his past makes this a powerful testament to the wisdom of reflection and the healing powers of nature.