Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful story and a wonderful lesson
Review: "Rascal Fair" narrates the story of two Scottish immigrants, their friends, and their families in the demanding Montana foothills around the turn of the last century. Doig is technically masterful and each page was a delight -- I wound up underlining and making marginal notes (things I rarely do in a book read for pleasure). He gives us an almost first-hand impression of the stark Montana winters and the renewal of spring, the small but intense triumphs of the ranchers, the poignancy as good old friends succumb to age and poor fortune, and so forth. Doig's major triumph, though, is relating Angus McCaskill's pursuit of "the love of his life," Anna Ramsay. Doig skillfully describes the personal and social destructiveness caused by blindly (and greedily) pursuing one's selfish perceptions and dreams while ignoring (and losing) the far more beautiful gifts which grace our lives. I wished I could have jumped into the pages and shaken some sense into him, but I eventually realized this is how we, too, frequently order our lives. I first read this book ten years ago, and it still seems like a story told by a dear and respected friend or mentor.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful story and a wonderful lesson
Review: "Rascal Fair" narrates the story of two Scottish immigrants, their friends, and their families in the demanding Montana foothills around the turn of the last century. Doig is technically masterful and each page was a delight -- I wound up underlining and making marginal notes (things I rarely do in a book read for pleasure). He gives us an almost first-hand impression of the stark Montana winters and the renewal of spring, the small but intense triumphs of the ranchers, the poignancy as good old friends succumb to age and poor fortune, and so forth. Doig's major triumph, though, is relating Angus McCaskill's pursuit of "the love of his life," Anna Ramsay. Doig skillfully describes the personal and social destructiveness caused by blindly (and greedily) pursuing one's selfish perceptions and dreams while ignoring (and losing) the far more beautiful gifts which grace our lives. I wished I could have jumped into the pages and shaken some sense into him, but I eventually realized this is how we, too, frequently order our lives. I first read this book ten years ago, and it still seems like a story told by a dear and respected friend or mentor.
Rating:
Summary: Crafted words that played on my mind and heart
Review: A relative loaned me "Dancing at the Rascal Fair" during summer vacation, and I at first gave it part of an afternoon. "Hmmm. Not bad." Then I picked it up again at bedtime, got hooked, and read far too late into the night. "This guy can write!" Before long, Doig and his Scots characters had invaded my vacation, seduced my complete interest, and dominated my attention. Three things I particularly admired: First, the power of the story. As with the best of literature, Doig's story swept me into it, so that I dreamed the dreams, wondered how life would fare, and rode the tumbling buckboard of existence with the characters. Second, Montana as Doig painted it, played a major role in the interest. There's something "Westerning" about most of us, I feel, and Doig's Montana grips our collective subconscience. And third, Doig's use of language pleased me like the delight of Christmas fudge. The sheer intelligence and artistry of his writing made reading an aesthetic pleasure. Words ought to go
Rating: 
Summary: Characters, descriptive language, and style!
Review: A reviewer of Mr. Doig's "English Creek" notes that it does not deal with a "dysfunctional family". The other current fad the author avoids is the emphasis on "quirkiness" vs. character. Like Wallace Stegner and David Guterson, Mr. Doig's feeling for the land is aparent in his careful and lovely descriptions. Most of all, he presents us with characters so well developed and described we feel we know them. This emphasis on believable characters is, in my estimation, the strongest point of "Dancing at the Rascal Fair" and "English Creek". I enjoyed both tremendously and look froward to finishing the Montana trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Doig spins a brilliant yarn!
Review: Chronologically the first in his Montana trilogy, "Dancing
at the Rascal Fair" makes even flatlanders homesick for the
Big Sky Country. Doig puts words together in such a manner
that they make complete, correct English sentences. This alone makes the book unusual in modern-day fiction. Then,
he grabs your attention with a spellbinding story that has
all of the elements that make you want to begin reading and never stop. His beloved Montana comes to life such that
you can hear the constant wind, feel the biting cold, taste
the dust of the dry years, smell the sheep pens at shearing
time, and see the vast expanses of prarie fading into the
impossibly rugged mountains. This book grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go.
Even long after my last reading of it, I am still moved by
the passion and power of the story. It is certainly among
the best fiction I have read.
Rating:
Summary: A Marvelous Read!!!
Review: I am not sure when or where I bought this book, since I'm such a "book nut" and have books everywhere in my home, but I'm sure glad I did. I had no idea at the time that this was the second in a Montana trilogy until after I read it. Now I must consider whether to buy the other two books or keep the warm memories of this book as they are now. I think that Mr. Doig's writing style is very similar to Larry McMurtry's.(a favorite of mine). This is storytelling at its' best. Pamper yourself some day soon and read this book. I guarantee you'll love it.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book and the author's writing.
Review: I enjoyed everything about this book. I like books that clarify a lifestyle and let you experience life through the characters eyes in a way that you didn't before. The immigrant experience, the homesteder's life, sheepranching, all were new and interesting to me. The author's writing was delightful, as when he described a man as so tight he'd think about it for 3 weeks before he decided to loan you the sleeves of his vest! Maybe this is a gender thing, but I found the love story did not ring true. That a man would hopelessly love a fey woman for so long, to me was unrealistic.I felt he had gold at home and hungered after copper. Then to handle it so foolishly with his son - you don't tell a 15 year old that you don't love his mother!!!, and especially when you are guilty of nothing. However, I disliked The Bridges of Madison County and found that unrealistic too, so that tells you something. That's the only reason I gave this book an 8 instead of 10, because overall, it was a fine read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent storytelling
Review: I had to start this book four times, but once I did I couldn't put it down. Doig has a very unique style of writing, this novel being one in the first person. Angus and Rob are two characters the reader feels for; the novel does a wonderful job of engaging us in their lives. For Montana history and landscape, this book cannot be beat; Doig's descriptions of the land makes one feel like they are standing there at the time. This is a very beautiful historical account of a much-forgotten piece of American history.
Rating: 
Summary: The author might be a little wrong.
Review: I have taken the time to read both Ivan Doig's novel "Dancing ... " and his own review found here on this web page, and, unforunately, I have to disagree with him on a number of issues concerning the typical Scottish-immigrant-land-settler's experience in Montana in the first half of this century. I am 83 years old, and I grew up and spent much of my life in Billings, Montana. I have worked the fields, sheared sheep, put out fires, driven trucks, worked for the Forest Service and even taught classes at the Univeristy of Montana. I know Montana and I know it's people -- particularly the men. Therefore, I just know that no man worth his salt would whine and waste his whole life for some women who may or may not have loved him. Montana men just don't give in to East Coast sentimentality and hog-wash. I have lived in Montana and I have lived in Boston, and this book appeals to all the pale silver-spoon-feed Eastern librals. Let's just hope that a real Western man will someday step forward and write a great Western novel that a real Western man will be proud to read.
Rating:
Summary: Exceptional
Review: I usually read science fiction, but I picked this up by chance. The writing is remarkable, Doig is a master of beautiful, flowing prose, excellent characterization, and story telling. The plot is very strong yet subtle, and I rapidly flew through the book; I was as hooked as I have ever been. Without giving anything away I just want to say that this is one of the best pieces of literature that I have read in many years.
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