Rating: 
Summary: A good read for a holiday weekend!
Review: As a transplanted Westerner forced to live on the other side of the Rockies, I picked up this book not knowing what to expect. Have not read the author's previous book, although have heard great reviews from friends. I really enjoyed this book, but, I have to say that I cheated a bit and read the last page about one-third of the way through the book. However, I was forced to do this since I was very concerned about the way Ben thought he was going to deal with his dogs, just leaving them to fend for themselves in the "wilderness." Once I knew that the dogs would be ok, I enjoyed the description of the countryside and the remembrances back to earlier happier times.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book but not for everyone.
Review: From reviewing the comments, this book is obviously not one that appeals to everyone but it does appeal to me. It is sensitive - even sentimental - and extremely well written. I look forward to Guterson's next work.
Rating: 
Summary: If you want SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS, go buy it.
Review: EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS is a whole different novel. I'm a picky reader and I loved it. Guterson took his time getting into the story but once it got going, I couldn't put the book down.The parts of the story about WWII , mountain warfare and emergency medicine during that period were fascinating. Guterson put time into the research and it paid off for the reader. I would highly recommend this book for readers who are open minded enough not to expect warmed over SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS.
Rating: 
Summary: Short story made long.
Review: This novel on it's own merit, not it's predecessors, is very hopeful that you will take it into your heart, for that is it's only hope, Obe Wan Kenobe. I was irritated by it's banality, it's innacuractcy. 'he just kept on smokin', he smoked the whole joint every time! At least he seemed an iota more mature than he did with his first romance in, Snow. I was really hopeful that this would be one of those books, like, Stones From the River, or The Shipping News, or even, The Bean Trees, but alas it was only a mediocre time consumer. The reminiscence of WWII seemed like filler and only prolonged the ennnnnnnnnding.
Rating:
Summary: nice, easy reading and very uplifting...
Review: I've seen a lot of reviews trying to compare this book to Snow Falling on Cedars...a comparison which I find to be irrelevant. When your first book is as loved as Snow Falling On Cedars, it is hardly possible to write a book that will touch people in the same way. But why would Guterson even want to write a book that explored the same issues as did Cedars? He's an artist; he's accomplished success with those issues and wants to move on. ---I thought that Mountains was an exceptionally good story that held my interest from the beginning. It's unfortuate to see this book having only 3 stars, while other less-well-written books have more stars because their authors have less expected of them (and because they have mostly had their friends write their reviews). ---- Don't be at all discouraged from reading this book, you will be enlightened by Guterson's new take on human nature...and you could do a lot worse at picking a book if you go only by its rating in stars.
Rating:
Summary: A Story to NOWHERE?!?! More of a travellogue than a novel.
Review: Having lived in eastern Washington, I find the descriptive passages of a life on the eastside of the mountains bringing back pleasant memories. But if I wanted that in a novel I would have bought Paul Theroux. It appears David Guterson just wasn't sure what to write about. I had empathy for the main character but in the way I read an 11th graders essay in English Class. This book had no business being published on a scale as his previous novel. Maybe he is a one hit wondor???
Rating: 
Summary: Pleasing, easy read but lies in the shadow of those Cedars.
Review: After Snow Falling I had to get hold of this book. It is good, he is a very good writer - maybe a 'great' in the making but I felt that the 'mood' was a little forced and his journey predictable. Any book is an investment of both heartbeats and hard currency and I certainly did not regret either.
Rating:
Summary: A moving self discovery
Review: A suicide mission that esculates into a novel of pure self discovery. A man's terrifying journey to his inevitable death. A thoughtful reminise of a life long left.............but a lovely tale that leaves you thinking......... I read it in a day - couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: an easy 5 star book
Review: After snow I wondered if this author would achieve in writing another exceptional book. And he did it infact he outdid snow. East of the mountains is better written. I think the author deeply matured after snow and his descriptions were much better in East than Snow. I could not put this book down infact i'm now reading it for a second time. I greaty reccommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Implausible story, mediocre writing
Review: It's easy to see why this book is selling so well, since it's the first thing you see when you wander into any bookstore or Costco. What I don't understand is how it got published in the first place. A waste of everybody's time.
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