Rating: 
Summary: The best and clearest of a great trilogy
Review: My Mother's family and many of her friends lived in the South Florida frontier in the early part of the century. I've heard many stories of their adventures, and the "characters" they knew, which included the famous Mr. Watson. I've read and enjoyed the three Matthiessen books,(Killing Mr. Watson, Lost Man's River, Bone by Bone) each more than once. the writing, the insights, the research all are impressive and exciting. I wish there were more coming. Bone by Bone is clearly a culmination of a life's work. The author speaks with an authentic voice and soul in this particular novel, and these strange and unfamiliar histories come alive.
Rating:
Summary: The best and clearest of a great trilogy
Review: My Mother's family and many of her friends lived in the South Florida frontier in the early part of the century. I've heard many stories of their adventures, and the "characters" they knew, which included the famous Mr. Watson. I've read and enjoyed the three Matthiessen books,(Killing Mr. Watson, Lost Man's River, Bone by Bone) each more than once. the writing, the insights, the research all are impressive and exciting. I wish there were more coming. Bone by Bone is clearly a culmination of a life's work. The author speaks with an authentic voice and soul in this particular novel, and these strange and unfamiliar histories come alive.
Rating:
Summary: On all counts, a masterful story.
Review: My usual criteria (for a good read) was set aside with this trilogy, esp. Bone by Bone. I require an ineffable something - call it style - and a lightness of being - call it the human comedy. I usually pass on just a story - but this work and Killing Mr. Watson was the greatest story ever told as far as I'm concerned.
Rating:
Summary: On all counts, a masterful story.
Review: My usual criteria (for a good read) was set aside with this trilogy, esp. Bone by Bone. I require an ineffable something - call it style - and a lightness of being - call it the human comedy. I usually pass on just a story - but this work and Killing Mr. Watson was the greatest story ever told as far as I'm concerned.
Rating:
Summary: A work of Art
Review: Peter Mattiessen would have to be one of your greatest living writers. The life of Mr EJ Watson is a metaphor for the modern American way of life, all its light and darkness, good and bad.
I've never been to America, but these book have given me such an insight into its way of life, and the way it conducts itself in the greater word.
Rating:
Summary: Nature writing transmuted to fiction
Review: Reading this book is an ambitious undertaking. Matthiessen's books appeal to the serious reader. His father, Elijah Watson, challenged a hero, General Butler, to a duel. Edgar Watson left Elijah Watson's household for two years. He stayed at the old Tilghman place. Returning he found out that his father had led others to believe that he had shot a man. Edgar and the women moved south. In March 1871 they crossed into Florida. They had traveled from North Carolina to Georgia and into Florida. They went to the Myers plantation which Aunt Tabitha inherited. His mother's plea for refuge had been granted. Edgar was disliked by the overseer, Woodson Tolen. He was from the Flint River country in Georgia. Edgar went to work on another plantation because he made Woodson Tolen angry. Then Old Man Woodson Tolen went back to Georgia and tensions eased. Edgar married Miss Charlie Collins when she turned fifteen. Ten months later she died. Their child's name was not registered in Lake City. He was referred to as Son Born. Charlie's parents took him to raise. Eight years later Edgar went to fetch him. Mr. and Mrs. Curry Collins called him Elton, but now Edgar called him Robert or Rob for short. Edgar, accused of killings he did not commit, went with Rob and his second wife, Mandy, to the Oklahoma territory. In the territory Edgar ran into the Younger clan and Belle Starr. Belle Starr's son claimed he tried to bribe his way out of a scrape. Watson was put on trial for Starr's murder. He was released. The charge was not proved. The federal court held there was insufficient evidence to indict him. Next Edgar leased a farm in Crawford County, Arkansas. By that time Rob was eleven and the other children, Carrie and Edward, toddlers. Also there was a new baby and the family was in debt. In jail for a month, Edgar had to plant later. They did not celebrate Christmas. They were in hibernation trying to ride out the famine. Watson was arrested for horse theft and Mandy and the children moved with kind people to the Choctaw Nation. When he went out on the chain gang he managed to escape, but could not get word to Mandy and his family. He went off with Frank Reese and they parted near Memphis. Now he was known as Jack Watson. He rode over the Smokies into the Carolinas. He sought his father Elijah Watson near Edgefield Court House. In 1878 Elijah Watson and William Coulter were indicted for murder. In October 1879 there was a finding of not guilty. Then he had a work gang job, prison guard. Next he, Elijah, became a grave digger. Edgar realized he no longer cared whether he lived or died. He went to Florida and changed his name to E. Jack Watson. He visited his sister Minny and her husband Billy Collins. He learned that he was wanted in Arkansas. Watson traveled west and hired out as a gunslinger. He killed a man and almost fell into the hands of lynch mob. From Arcadia, Florida he went south to Ten Thousand Islands. He started farming at Chatham Bend. His family joined him. They led a rough mosquito-ridden life. The Watson Place was famous because it was the only place between Fort Myers and Key West that was painted. In 1898, a dry year, a huge alligator made its home in the Chatham River. Everyone but Rob moved to Fort Myers when Mandy was sick. The story continues in this fashion. Les Cox was one of the last varmints, bully boys, encountered by Edgar Watson. Finally Watson meets his merited end. I honor the author's accomplishment. The book is strong and fine, although I preferred KILLING MR. WATSON.
Rating:
Summary: Nature writing transmuted to fiction
Review: Reading this book is an ambitious undertaking. Matthiessen's books appeal to the serious reader. His father, Elijah Watson, challenged a hero, General Butler, to a duel. Edgar Watson left Elijah Watson's household for two years. He stayed at the old Tilghman place. Returning he found out that his father had led others to believe that he had shot a man. Edgar and the women moved south. In March 1871 they crossed into Florida. They had traveled from North Carolina to Georgia and into Florida. They went to the Myers plantation which Aunt Tabitha inherited. His mother's plea for refuge had been granted. Edgar was disliked by the overseer, Woodson Tolen. He was from the Flint River country in Georgia. Edgar went to work on another plantation because he made Woodson Tolen angry. Then Old Man Woodson Tolen went back to Georgia and tensions eased. Edgar married Miss Charlie Collins when she turned fifteen. Ten months later she died. Their child's name was not registered in Lake City. He was referred to as Son Born. Charlie's parents took him to raise. Eight years later Edgar went to fetch him. Mr. and Mrs. Curry Collins called him Elton, but now Edgar called him Robert or Rob for short. Edgar, accused of killings he did not commit, went with Rob and his second wife, Mandy, to the Oklahoma territory. In the territory Edgar ran into the Younger clan and Belle Starr. Belle Starr's son claimed he tried to bribe his way out of a scrape. Watson was put on trial for Starr's murder. He was released. The charge was not proved. The federal court held there was insufficient evidence to indict him. Next Edgar leased a farm in Crawford County, Arkansas. By that time Rob was eleven and the other children, Carrie and Edward, toddlers. Also there was a new baby and the family was in debt. In jail for a month, Edgar had to plant later. They did not celebrate Christmas. They were in hibernation trying to ride out the famine. Watson was arrested for horse theft and Mandy and the children moved with kind people to the Choctaw Nation. When he went out on the chain gang he managed to escape, but could not get word to Mandy and his family. He went off with Frank Reese and they parted near Memphis. Now he was known as Jack Watson. He rode over the Smokies into the Carolinas. He sought his father Elijah Watson near Edgefield Court House. In 1878 Elijah Watson and William Coulter were indicted for murder. In October 1879 there was a finding of not guilty. Then he had a work gang job, prison guard. Next he, Elijah, became a grave digger. Edgar realized he no longer cared whether he lived or died. He went to Florida and changed his name to E. Jack Watson. He visited his sister Minny and her husband Billy Collins. He learned that he was wanted in Arkansas. Watson traveled west and hired out as a gunslinger. He killed a man and almost fell into the hands of lynch mob. From Arcadia, Florida he went south to Ten Thousand Islands. He started farming at Chatham Bend. His family joined him. They led a rough mosquito-ridden life. The Watson Place was famous because it was the only place between Fort Myers and Key West that was painted. In 1898, a dry year, a huge alligator made its home in the Chatham River. Everyone but Rob moved to Fort Myers when Mandy was sick. The story continues in this fashion. Les Cox was one of the last varmints, bully boys, encountered by Edgar Watson. Finally Watson meets his merited end. I honor the author's accomplishment. The book is strong and fine, although I preferred KILLING MR. WATSON.
Rating: 
Summary: This trilogy has gone steadily downhill
Review: Sometimes whenI read customer comments I feel that I must have read a different book. I thought Killing Mr. Watson was a fascinating reconstruction of history-particularly enjoyed it because I am familiar with the area and many of the names he wrote about. Peter Matthiessen says this trilogy is the end product of a twenty year obsession, and I'm afraid obsession is the operative word. On a thin base of historical fact he has erected an enormous tower of speculation about a group of supremely unattractive characters. His main character, Edgar Watson would have been in long term therapy today. He's for starters a murderer several times over, and then it gets worse-an uncontrolled drinker who flares into instant anger at any slight to his family honor,a sexual predator, a womanizer,a child abuser etc.etc.and through it all a supreme self deluder. The only sympathetic characters are a couple of his several legal and offline wives.I could go on, but that would compound the author's error - he's done so much research-knows every citizen black and white of the back country, tells us everything he knows, digresses to give us history and background of every passing character no matter how tangential until this reader was drowning in detail.It's true that Matthiesen writes some fine prose, particularly in his descriptions of nature, and of the hard life that was lived in Southwest Florida a century ago,and it's true that he describes with irony and anger the wanton destruction of the abundant wildlife which once existed in the Everglades but on the principle of Less is More I wish he had left Edgar Watson'story, with all it's mystery and speculation,at the end of his first book
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable
Review: This book is a masterpeice by one of America's greatest living authors, and is the best of the Mr. Watson trilogy. It is haunting. I give it my highest recommendation.
Rating: 
Summary: Read "Killing Mr. Watson" First!
Review: This final installment in the "Mr. Watson" trilogy is, alas, in some ways the most disappointing. This isn't to say it isn't enjoyable, but having made it through both "Killing Mr. Watson" and "Lost Man's River," it's difficult, and perhaps unreasonable, to expect us not to judge this book in the light of its predecessors. This book is a much easier read than the detective-like "Lost Man's River," which followed Lucius Watson's seemingly interminable journey all over Florida as he hunted for evidence of his father's innocence. In "Bone by Bone," told in the first person from the perspective of E.J. Watson himself, the mystery and doubt so perfectly balanced with drama and violence in "Killing Mr. Watson" is removed. Watson tells his own story, shows us how he became the violent man he is, and reveals to the reader his whole person. The names in this book are confusing...I can't recall reading a book in which so many names are thrown at you. There is a gloss of family relationships at the beginning of the book, which helps somewhat, but I still found myself losing track of people, especially since we were dealing with members of the same family. In both "Lost Man's River" and "Bone by Bone," Matthiessen editorializes--through his characters--quite a bit about race issues. Given that these stories are situated in the post-Civil War South, it is not inappropriate that there should be some race issues, but the manner in which the characters editorialize (rather than letting the action of the narrative speak for itself) makes that commentary stick out like a broken wing. The problem of race, and the situation of blacks, becomes less an organic part of the story (as it is in Faulkner) than asides the writer makes to remind us of the racial horrors of the Reconstruction South. Watson's voice is clear throughout, although there are certain inconsistencies. He speaks for the most part in elevated, literary English (using complex metaphor, at times). We are told that as a child he read the Greek classics. Nevertheless, he cannot spell, and sometimes, for no apparent reason, he lapses into backwoods diction. In "Killing Mr. Watson," Watson came off as a brooding, violent, secretive man. Here, we see the guts of the man, the joker, the father, the husband. This side is effectively blended with the violence and the brooding we saw earlier. It will be hard to appreciate this, though, if you haven't first read "Killing Mr. Watson." (You don't really need to read "Lost Man's River" to get the full effect of this noverl, although you will be more sensitive to the drama involving Lucius and Rob.)
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