Dancing at the Rascal Fair

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: Doig spins a brilliant yarn!
Review: Chronologically the first in his Montana trilogy, "Dancingat the Rascal Fair" makes even flatlanders homesick for theBig 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: 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: Dancing at the Rascal Fair
Review: The best novel I have read in a long, long time. It wasn't enough to fall in love with the characters--I lived every day with them. Dancing at the Rascal Fair exemplifies the power of great writing.