Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is a wonderful book. I wanted to read it all in one sitting and yet I wanted to read it slowly and savor it. What a dilemma! It's so nice to know that there are still some really good writers out there. I plan to read more of Mr. Haruf's books so tell him to keep writing!
Rating:
Summary: HURRAY, HARUF!!!!!
Review: I picked this book up with the intention of beginning the read. 12 hours later, my eyes watering from exhaustion and emotion, I replaced it on my library shelf. Now I miss my friends, Victoria, the homeless unwed mother, Maggie Jones, the helpful teacher, Ike and Bobby, the two boys in search of a mother(I wanted to adopt them), Guthrie, the boy's troubled but loving father, and my favorites, the McPheron's, bachelor brother's with hands of steel and hearts of gold. I adopted these people because Kent Haruf's simple, but brilliant style invites this union. These fictitious yet believalbe folks of Holt, Nebraska will live in my mind and heart for decades. My one wish......write a sequel, Kent, and let all of us who adored this book follow on in the lives of these simple, flawed, reedemable characters. Both this book and "The Tie That Binds" grabbed me at the first sentence and never let me go. Only brilliant writing can do that. Gift yourself with this read....from the picturesque cover to the last word, you will be entralled. And I dare to make this prediciton as well....your insights into human nature will be richer and more optimistic for the read.
Rating:
Summary: Well, not stars, exactly.....
Review: I give this book five, but not stars. Rather, five fingers down the throat. Most often used word in this book: and Most abused aspect of good book design: omission of quotation marks/hyphens/en dashes to delimit spoken text. Can't lay this one on the author; he was probably as embarrassed by the book's appearance without them as I was reading it. But some yahoo book designer decides that the omission "reinforces the idea of plainsong (get it?)". Gag me with a spoon. Most abused word in the book: Plainsong. In true plainsong, there is neither harmony nor counterpoint. Now how did these interwoven stories get here? Best aspect of the book: no long words. Best word to describe this book: precious.
Rating: 
Summary: Simple yet lyrical writing
Review: The simple beauty of this book is like the title. Spare and yet evocative. You get to know the people of Holt, Colorado like they were members of your own community. I loved this book! Thanks, Kent, for time well spent.
Rating: 
Summary: Not intersesting at all
Review: The author tries to pull you into the lives of too many people at once. I really wanted to find out more about some of the characters but it got to a point where I just didn't care and I couldn't finish the book. It's got sex, love and trouble but never at any point does Kent answer any questions. How this book won an award is beyond me. Skip this book unless you like being confused and cheated out of a good read.
Rating:
Summary: A very touching and well-written story
Review: I don't agree with some of the reviews that refer to this book as sappy. It has some very touching and tender moments but some very violent and nasty ones as well. This author does not seem to believe that people must be defined by what is awful about humanity. Although he sees and portrays the very violent nasty, and self-interested side of people, he believes in their goodness--and that is not the coming of age of an adolescent but rather the considered views of someone who has faith. Though you get the impression that the author sees and understands both sides of human nature, he chooses to let the beauty of reaching out to another be the flavor of his prose that stays with you after the story is over. It's quite an optimistic view of life, and will please those a with humanist orientation--I was enormously moved by it and will look forward to reading other works by Kent Haruf.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent written, simple, plain Jewel!
Review: This story is a great book about everyday people who live everyday lives and is written in an astonishing way. Kent Haruf brings these characters to life. Mr. Haruf does a wonderful job you can feel all these people feel and you can even visulize the setting. The people all discover from each other and come together to make an amazing small town in Colorado. You have a pregnant teenager, a lonely schoolteacher, and old farming spinster brothers. The McPheron brothers and how you see their lives changed through loving a young pregnant girl who happens to spear on their doorstep. Maggie Jones is the one who binds all together through her strong, wonderful, helpful person she is. The boys Ike and Bobby go through some bad times but make it with their brotherly love. This is such a simple, plain story of everyday people characters that everybody should enjoy this excellent written book!
Rating: 
Summary: Sappy
Review: At the end of American culture, with nothing but hardness in life, in love, in entertainment, the longing for sweet old-time niceness is intense, and can be re-sold back to people. There is no sense of community in this book, and yet people act gratuitously "nice." There is no real plot, only scenes that alternate between bad people and nice people and their encounters. In such simple terms, the book might have been rendered better through the eyes of one Guthrie's boys. As it stands, the book assumes a community that doesn't exist, and then everything flows from this space of non-existence. Note: Maggie Jones tells the two brothers who take in the pregnant girl "You need to do this." If that line ever worked at all, things wouldn't be so screwed up. So, in this sense, the book rests upon the imaginary of community--perhaps similar to what William Faulkner said about love "It's a good thing they put it in books because that's the only place it exists." This in no way means that there aren't nice people, or nice gestures, just that as a "vehicle" for a novel, it seems to be all promise, and no delivery. It might keep readers going until the last pages, but in the end its the same old same old of the imaginary resolution to problems that cannot be solved by relying on the kindness of strangers. Of course, Williams knew that, and Haruf should too.
Rating: 
Summary: Down To Earth, Decent Characters
Review: Plainsong is "any simple or unadorned melody" and that aptly describes the characters in the book. It is small time life at it's best with honorable and hard-working people. I enjoyed all the characters, especially the McPheron brothers (worth reading just for the meeting these two guys :). I felt sorry for Bobby and Ike and do wish the author would have spent more time detailing the 'how and why' of their mother's behavior. All in all, Plainsong is just about 'plain' people with problems, joys, and sorrows just like all of us. The characters have to come to terms with loss and rise above it. Haruf does a good job showing how these characters grow and learn some hard lessons. An enjoyable read!
Rating:
Summary: Too many unanswered questions
Review: This book was an easy read but there was no charactor development, it was boring, and it left more questions unanswered than I could possibly lists. There was one high point to the story, a couple of unmarried brothers who take in a pregnant teen. This storyline was touching and funny, but when all was said and done I still had to ask myself "Is that it"? Haruf, better luck next time.
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