Synopses & Reviews
A major new Southern voice emerges in this novel about a town divided by the aftermath of a tragic accident-and the woman caught in the middle
When a twelve-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy, the people of the small South Carolina town that bears the river's name are thrown into the national spotlight. The girl's parents want to attempt a rescue of the body; environmentalists are convinced the rescue operation will cause permanent damage to the river and set a dangerous precedent. Torn between the two sides is Maggie Glenn, a twenty-eight-year-old newspaper photographer who grew up in the town and has been sent to document the incident. Since leaving home almost ten years ago, Maggie has done her best to avoid her father, but now, as the town's conflict opens old wounds, she finds herself revisiting the past she's fought so hard to leave behind. Meanwhile, the reporter who's accompanied her to cover the story turns out to have a painful past of his own, and one that might stand in the way of their romance.
Drawing on the same lyrical prose and strong sense of place that distinguished his award-winning first novel, One Foot in Eden, Ron Rash has written a book about the deepest human themes: the love of the land, the hold of the dead on the living, and the need to dive beneath the surface to arrive at a deeper truth. Saints at the River confirms the arrival of one of today's most gifted storytellers.
The winner of an NEA poetry fellowship, Ron Rash has published a previous novel, One Foot in Eden; three collections of poetry; and two books of short stories. He holds the John Parris Chair in Appalachian Studies at Western Carolina University.
When a twelve-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy, the small South Carolina town that bears the river's name becomes the center of a far-reaching controversy. Anxious to recover the body and give their daughter a proper burial, the girl's parents want to send divers down into the rain-swollen currents. But a contingent of environmentalists is opposed to the rescue, convinced that it will damage the riverbed, violate conservation laws, and set a dangerous precedent.
Maggie Glenn, a twenty-eight-year-old newspaper photographer born in Tamassee but long since moved away, is assigned to cover the story. Back in her hometown, she's forced to confront not only her ailing and embittered father, but the friends and relatives who have taken sides against one another. Complicating matters further are an old boyfriendnow the charismatic leader of the group protesting the rescueand the reporter sent to cover the story alongside her, a man with painful associations of his own that may threaten the relationship they've recently begun. And as the family history she's so successfully repressed threatens to surface, Maggie finds that she herself is vulnerable to the painful implications of the conflictquestions of integrity, loyalty to home and family, and to the past.
Distinguished by the same lyrical prose and strong sense of place that marked Rash's award-winning first novel, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River is a trenchant portrayal of universal human themes: the love of the land, the hold of the dead on the living, the blood ties of family, and the moral obligations of a community. With this book, Rash emerges as one of today's most gifted storytellers.
"Ron Rash writes like a prince."Pat Conroy
"[Saints at the River is a] compelling ride [with] a deftly realized common setting."Michael Bishop, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"On the heels of the success of One Foot in Eden, Rash delivers his sophomore effort Saints at the River. And deliver he does . . . Rash's lyricism about the river and trees and mountains resonates within scenes . . . As a stylist, Rash never falters, offering rich metaphors that quietly bring the nuances of Tamassee and the river to life . . . In terms of the somewhat simple style and its admirably plot-driven nature, comparable to the likes of Robert Morgan, Lee Smith, and Sue Monk Kidd, Rash's prose distinguishes itself in this novel, heralding the difficult but successful crossover from poet to novelist. But the real joy in reading Saints at the River comes not just from the joy of reading memorable writing and a darn good story, but also the anticipatory excitement of what will come next."Sean A. Scapellato, The Post and Courier (Charleston, South Carolina)
"Like Rash's debut, One Foot in Eden, his second novel takes place in the Appalachian backwoods. A Minnesotan girl vacationing in South Carolina with her parents accidentally drowns in the Tamassee River, and her parents want to recover her body, which is trapped in an underwater gorge. This sparks a confrontation between environmentalists, who are strongly opposed to a rescue mission that would spoil the natural surroundings, and the family, which lobbies for public support through the media. Against this backdrop, former Tamassee resident Maggie Glenn, a staff photographer for a state newspaper, is sent to cover the story with high-profile reporter Allen Hemphill, who lost his daughter and wife in an automobile accident. The two become romantically involved, and when a town resident drowns during the rescue mission, Maggie must face up to feelings about past events that have cut her off from othersnamely, her father, who, like Maggie herself, 'carries what he feels for people deep inside.' From the first page to the last, the author's down-to-earth characters and rich descriptions of the backwoods carry readers through this emotionally charged story. Recommended for all collections."Library Journal
"Rash pens his novel in clear, unadorned prose appropriate to its ripped-from-the-headlines premise . . . A professor of Appalachian Studies at Western Carolina University and author of a previous Southern novel, One Foot in Eden, Rash clearly knows the people and places he writes about, and that authenticity pays off in a conclusion that packs an unexpected and powerful punch."Publishers Weekly
"A gripping environmental drama [that] pits the rescue of a drowned child against the integrity of a river. Narrator Maggie Glenn works for a newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina. The 28-year-old photographer was born and raised in Tamassee, in the mountains to the west, and she's assigned, along with star reporter Allen Hemphill, to cover a big story in her hometown. Three weeks earlier, 12-year-old Ruth Kowalsky had been sucked into a whirlpool in the Tamassee River; county divers have failed to dislodge her body from the rock where it lies trapped. Ruth's father Herb, a powerful banker from Minnesota, wants to make the divers' job easier by erecting a portable dam to divert the water flow. One problem: Erection means drilling holes into the bedrock, and federal law protects the river from any violation of its natural state. Storywriter and second-novelist Rash sets up a finely balanced confrontation between Luke Miller, fearless and incorruptible champion of the river (though no saint), and Ruth's grieving parents, who want to give her a proper burial. Uncomfortably in the middle is the district ranger. Back in Tamassee, Maggie has more on her mind than her job. She has been estranged from her father ever since her brother Ben and she were badly burned in a childhood accident for which the old man was responsible. Now he's dying of cancer. Can Maggie make peace with him, as her more forgiving brother did years ago? On the job, she s26takes a haunting photograph of the despondent Herb Kowalsky. Along with Hemphill's reporting, it helps tip the balance in favor of the temporary dam. Luke, her ex-lover and mentor, is furious, and Maggie herself, secretly on his side, regrets taking it. But the suspense isn't over. The river is rising. Will the dam hold long enough for the divers to retrieve the girl? [A] spare, resonant, unputdownable [novel]."Kirkus Reviews
Review
"From the first page to the last, the author's down-to-earth characters and rich descriptions of the backwoods carry readers through this emotionally charged story." Library Journal
Review
"Spare, resonant, unputdownable." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Appalachian dialects and Rash's lyrical description of this small Appalachian town create a strong sense of place, adding to his well-spoken plea against the devastation caused by damming the nation's rivers." Booklist
Review
"Rash's second novel begins with a...death-by-water, but soon evolves into a scandal fraught with moral ambiguity....Rash writes no-nonsense prose that can seem more expedient than artful. Still, Saints at the River is a carefully spun tale, both beautiful and mysterious. It reveals a deep understanding of nature as it clashes with that equally potent force, human emotion." Anna Godberson, Esquire (read the entire Esquire review)
Synopsis
A major new Southern voice emerges in this novel about a town divided by the aftermath of a tragic accident-and the woman caught in the middle
When a twelve-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy, the people of the small South Carolina town that bears the river's name are thrown into the national spotlight. The girl's parents want to attempt a rescue of the body; environmentalists are convinced the rescue operation will cause permanent damage to the river and set a dangerous precedent. Torn between the two sides is Maggie Glenn, a twenty-eight-year-old newspaper photographer who grew up in the town and has been sent to document the incident. Since leaving home almost ten years ago, Maggie has done her best to avoid her father, but now, as the town's conflict opens old wounds, she finds herself revisiting the past she's fought so hard to leave behind. Meanwhile, the reporter who's accompanied her to cover the story turns out to have a painful past of his own, and one that might stand in the way of their romance.
Drawing on the same lyrical prose and strong sense of place that distinguished his award-winning first novel, One Foot in Eden, Ron Rash has written a book about the deepest human themes: the love of the land, the hold of the dead on the living, and the need to dive beneath the surface to arrive at a deeper truth. Saints at the River confirms the arrival of one of today's most gifted storytellers.
Synopsis
A major new Southern voice emerges in this novel about a town divided by the aftermath of a tragic accident and the woman caught in the middle. Drawing on the same lyrical prose and strong sense of place that distinguished his award-winning first novel, One Foot in Eden, Rash has written a book about the deepest human themes.
Synopsis
A major new Southern voice emerges in this novel about a town divided by the aftermath of a tragic accident-and the woman caught in the middle
When a twelve-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy, the people of the small South Carolina town that bears the river's name are thrown into the national spotlight. The girl's parents want to attempt a rescue of the body; environmentalists are convinced the rescue operation will cause permanent damage to the river and set a dangerous precedent. Torn between the two sides is Maggie Glenn, a twenty-eight-year-old newspaper photographer who grew up in the town and has been sent to document the incident. Since leaving home almost ten years ago, Maggie has done her best to avoid her father, but now, as the town's conflict opens old wounds, she finds herself revisiting the past she's fought so hard to leave behind. Meanwhile, the reporter who's accompanied her to cover the story turns out to have a painful past of his own, and one that might stand in the way of their romance.
Drawing on the same lyrical prose and strong sense of place that distinguished his award-winning first novel, One Foot in Eden, Ron Rash has written a book about the deepest human themes: the love of the land, the hold of the dead on the living, and the need to dive beneath the surface to arrive at a deeper truth. Saints at the River confirms the arrival of one of today's most gifted storytellers.
The winner of an NEA poetry fellowship, Ron Rash has published a previous novel, One Foot in Eden; three collections of poetry; and two books of short stories. He holds the John Parris Chair in Appalachian Studies at Western Carolina University.
When a twelve-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy, the small South Carolina town that bears the river's name becomes the center of a far-reaching controversy. Anxious to recover the body and give their daughter a proper burial, the girl's parents want to send divers down into the rain-swollen currents. But a contingent of environmentalists is opposed to the rescue, convinced that it will damage the riverbed, violate conservation laws, and set a dangerous precedent.
Maggie Glenn, a twenty-eight-year-old newspaper photographer born in Tamassee but long since moved away, is assigned to cover the story. Back in her hometown, she's forced to confront not only her ailing and embittered father, but the friends and relatives who have taken sides against one another. Complicating matters further are an old boyfriend--now the charismatic leader of the group protesting the rescue--and the reporter sent to cover the story alongside her, a man with painful associations of his own that may threaten the relationship they've recently begun. And as the family history she's so successfully repressed threatens to surface, Maggie finds that she herself is vulnerable to the painful implications of the conflict--questions of integrity, loyalty to home and family, and to the past.
Distinguished by the same lyrical prose and strong sense of place that marked Rash's award-winning first novel, One Foot in Eden, Saints at the River is a trenchant portrayal of universal human themes: the love of the land, the hold of the dead on the living, the blood ties of family, and the moral obligations of a community. With this book, Rash emerges as one of today's most gifted storytellers.
Ron Rash writes like a prince.--Pat Conroy
Saints at the River is a] compelling ride with] a deftly realized common setting.--Michael Bishop, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the heels of the success of One Foot in Eden, Rash delivers his sophomore effort Saints at the River. And deliver he does . . . Rash's lyricism about the river and trees and mountains resonates within scenes . . . As a stylist, Rash never falters, offering rich metaphors that quietly bring the nuances of Tamassee and the river to life . . . In terms of the somewhat simple style and its admirably plot-driven nature, comparable to the likes of Robert Morgan, Lee Smith, and Sue Monk Kidd, Rash's prose distinguishes itself in this novel, heralding the difficult but successful crossover from poet to novelist. But the real joy in reading Saints at the River comes not just from the joy of reading memorable writing and a darn good story, but also the anticipatory excitement of what will come next.--Sean A. Scapellato, The Post and Courier (Charleston, South Carolina)
Like Rash's debut, One Foot in Eden, his second novel takes place in the Appalachian backwoods. A Minnesotan girl vacationing in South Carolina with her parents accidentally drowns in the Tamassee River, and her parents want to recover her body, which is trapped in an underwater gorge. This sparks a confrontation between environmentalists, who are strongly opposed to a rescue mission that would spoil the natural surroundings, and the family, which lobbies for public support through the media. Against this backdrop, former Tamassee resident Maggie Glenn, a staff photographer for a state newspaper, is sent to cover the story with high-profile reporter Allen Hemphill, who lost his daughter and wife in an automobile accident. The two become romantically involved, and when a town resident drowns during the rescue mission, Maggie must face up to feelings about past events that have cut her off from others--namely, her father, who, like Maggie herself, 'carries what he feels for people deep inside.' From the first page to the last, the author's down-to-earth characters and rich descriptions of the backwoods carry readers through this emotionally charged story. Recommended for all collections.--Library Journal
Rash pens his novel in clear, unadorned prose appropriate to its ripped-from-the-headlines premise . . . A professor of Appalachian Studies at Western Carolina University and author of a previous Southern
Synopsis
When a twelve-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy, the people of the small South Carolina town that bears the river's name are thrown into the national spotlight. The girl's parents want to attempt a rescue of the body; environmentalists are convinced the rescue operation will cause permanent damage to the river and set a dangerous precedent. Torn between the two sides is Maggie Glenn, a twenty-eight-year-old newspaper photographer who grew up in the town and has been sent to document the incident. Since leaving home almost ten years ago, Maggie has done her best to avoid her father, but now, as the town's conflict opens old wounds, she finds herself revisiting the past she's fought so hard to leave behind.
About the Author
Winner of an NEA poetry fellowship,
Ron Rash has published one previous novel,
One Foot in Eden, three collections of poetry, and two of short stories. He holds the John Parris Chair in Appalachian Studies at Western Carolina University. He lives in South Carolina.