Cold Mountain

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Summary: Everyman's Journey
Review: Reading Cold Mountain is a tale of Everyman and EveryWoman, albeit set in the Civil War era. As I walked through the journey of Inman, Ruby and Ada I began to wonder if it isn't a classic story of every one's Life. Does Inman (In Man) represent every man's journey? Does Ruby represent every woman's quest for knowledge and experiences? Is Ada the medicine woman who knows more than her education in formal training shows? Although the novel is well written I found it's melancholy tone to be oppressive. I was left wondering why the author choice not to spend more time at the epiphany moments in the book. For example when Inman befriends and is literally touched by the young widow with the hog why didn't he stay longer with her? "War is hell" is clearly illustrated in this novel. Where is the beauty is left begging...

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Summary: A resonant exploration of the meaning of suffering
Review: Frazier draws the reader into a paradoxical world of sublime details. Inman's dreams, Veasey's comi-tragic ramblings and Ruby's beautiful sense of her world frame a seamless vista. Facing what amounts to the profound silence (indifference?) of God, Inman and Ada are compelled to make their suffering, and all suffering mean. Cold Mountain looms through out--silent, misty and indifferent, yet so full of promise--providing a metaphysical metaphor as powerful as the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg over the valley of ashes. Frazier tackles the dialectic between suffering and desire--so closely linked as Veasey notes. In the end, God is in the details. Such an intense and lyrically beautiful study of human suffering leaves the reader as entranced as Inman, sitting dumb-struck, intoxicated and absorbed by Junior's frighteningly slanted house.

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Summary: A classic in the making!
Review: Charles Frazier's "Cold Mountain" is a literary classic in the making. Despite reviews to the contrary (some of which are posted on this site), this book is a wonderfully successful examination of the uselessness of war and the problems that the Civil War created for both Northerners and Southerners. Probably the chief winning attribute of this book is Frazier's beautiful use of language that left this reader in awe of his ability to combine metaphors into imagery that comes alive in the reader's imagination. Additionally, in Ada and Inman, he develops two wonderful characters who begin rather one-dimensional and end as very complex beings who have survived a marvelous journey of self-discovery. This book is a literary classic for the 1990s. As an English teacher, I can't really say that there are many books written in the 1990s that could be used in the classroom as a wonderful example of the use of language. Charles Frazier's work definitely fits the bill and would be a worthy addition to the English curriculum lists across our country. The only problem that I see with this book is its rather abrupt ending that leaves many readers feeling disgusted that it wasn't ended with more finesse. But, given the overall success of the rest of the novel, its weak denouement can be forgiven, at least by this reader. "Cold Mountain" is a must reader for the serious student both of Civil War America and of the way in which language can be used to create beautiful pictures in the imagination.

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Summary: Not great but still good
Review: Too much hype and praise for this book led me to believe that it would be the best book I ever read. While Frazier's descriptions and language vividly painted strong mental images I found the storyline to be slow in starting. Parts of the book dragged. It reminded me in part of Thomas Hardy's writing style. All in all, I thought it was a good book but I was expecting a GREAT book. Even though I wasn't totally capitivated by Cold Mountain I still look forward to Frazier's next book.

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Summary: New addition to America's leading writers!
Review: Cold Mountain captivates the reader early on as we begin to understand that the language and the expressions are rich in the history of the time. Frazier has created a richly historical novel that puts you there in his knowledge and research or oral history - but authentically Civil War era. The walk home is a journey not to be easily forgotten by the reader. With 5,000 books a day coming onto the market - this is one that should be read - not scanned. It is rich is language, rewarding in content and worth the money - a distinctive writing style and a well woven tale!

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Summary: Forget hype; appreciate it as you would fine sipping whiskey
Review: Cold Mountain is a very well written novel. There are great scenes, great punchlines here and there, pretty deft handling of more or less predictable ending. Mr. Fraizer approaches his characters with care, though not necessarily with mercy. He mostly manages to hit the major themes without clobbering you over the head with them, thank God. Take your time and don't expect the moon and you will be rewarded--much more so than by the oceans of crap that are mostly out there.

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Summary: The taste of regret
Review: On a day which Charles Frazier would have described as profoundly autumnal, I am savoring the afterglow of two weeks with Inman and Ada, their adversaries and their companions, with a new sense of wonder at all we take for granted. Their struggles of conscience and perseverance in satisfying their most basic human needs -- warmth, nourishment, the gentle touch of another -- contrast starkly with the easy lives of convenience and entitlement we have come to expect as the rewards of progress. Like Inman partaking of the innocent flesh of the bear cub, I am left with the taste of regret after devouring this story -- regret that a book such as this is far too rare among the illiterate drivel that become bestsellers. Regret that so few human beings like Inman, Ada, and Ruby walk among us in the latter days of the 20th century.

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Summary: Tell me something new
Review: Cold Mountain is generating lots of attention, but I think it is overrated. It uses as its basis a journey -- of a deserting Confederate soldier -- and is thus able to have him encounter a variety of circumstances. Unfortunately, many of these circumstances are trite at best and offer little new insight into the human character. This is not a book I will rave about!

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Summary: Best Book I've read this year, except for A FINE BALANCE
Review: This book was compelling to read (could not put it down), good story, beautiful language, exquisite detail, interesting characters, and brought me face to face with history, both of the country, and my own family history. Having grown up on a farm in the early 50's I still have memories of my grandmother wringing the necks of chickens, canning vegetables and killing hogs. Putting dinner on the table in those days meant a lot more personal investment of effort than now. Thank you, Mr. Frasier for filling out this thread of history in such a believable way. I actually lived in this time and place during my reading of this book, and these characters will never leave me. Ada could have been my great grandmother.

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Summary: Frazier could have used an editor
Review: Something is seriously wrong with a novel in which most of the text is devoted to the detailed description of food and scenery, apparently in an attempt to convince us that we are reading "literature." The voice of the narrator is most uneven, sometimes 19th Century, sometimes not. Inman and Ada are strangely cold and one-dimensionsal, so that it is difficult to care what happens to either of them. Ruby is a bit better but altogether too good to be true. And the character of the fat-assed moron Pangle, who just happens to be a musical genius on the banjo, is an obvious steal from "Deliverance." Apparently, Frazier did not have the services of a competent editor, who would have cut the text by half and evened out the narrator's voice, among other things. However, those poor souls who were seduced by "The Bridges of Madison County" may well regard this book as another literary masterpiece.