Rating: 
Summary: extraordinary evocation of essence of American character
Review: Every now and then, there comes an author keenly attuned to the rhythms of our speech, the conflicts of our hearts and the values which motivate our actions. Kent Haruf's spellbinding "Plainsong" so deftly recreates the atmosphere of a small, isolated, rural American town and populates that community with such compelling, conflicted and endearing characters that the reader simply cannot put his novel down. As did Steinbeck before him (and as do such gifted contemporaries as Kaye Gibbons and Ivan Doig), Mr. Haruf truly believes common, everyday Americans have much to say about what defines the national character. There is such dignity and decency in this book, shown against backdrops of cruelty, isolation and loneliness. Perhaps that is one reason I found myself humbled, by book's end, in reading it. This is a book to cherish and to share and will become one of the most memorable reading experiences in your life.This profoundly important work will remind readers what the purpose of literature is: to inform us, through the action of an absorbing narrative, that humans serve a distinctive purpose, and that purpose, though obscured by personal anguish, desperate lonelines and unfair circumstances, is to understand, assist and grow to love each other. Each of the seven central characters, who evolve into their own community, seems driven to comprehend and act on the central premise of human frailty and interdependence. Thus, whether it be a father coping with the fragility of his sons' emotional health in light of their mother's evolving emotional and physical removal from life or a quietly resolute teacher searching for solutions to a teen's unexpected pregnancy or two old bachelor brothers awakening to the confusing, liberating possibilities of life, Mr. Haruf invests them with uncommon purpose and promise. Thomas Jefferson once said that our nation possesses "hope enough and to spare." Reading this triumphant novel, a reader will find renewal in the belief that our national purpose -- built on a sense of optimism and hope -- continues to live and to thrive in the hearts and minds of our most uncommom common people.
Rating:
Summary: plain sweet
Review: The front cover of this book set the stage for me. Big sky, small town. Inside this town there is Tom Guthrie, a school teacher and facing separation from his wife, and his sons, Ike and Bobby, carefully trying not to tread on anyones' toes. There are the Old McPheron brothers who have lived together so long they have no need for words, until a young pregnant school girl has nowhere to go and no one to turn to. The dialogue is simple, often charming and even heart breaking as all these characters shuffle along and try to find their way in life. Not much of a plot, but this story doesn't suffer from the lack of it.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid!
Review: I LOVED this book. It was a magical and touching story that warmed my heart for days after I was finished reading it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to read novels about small towns with an appreciation for relationships and how the unexpected connect...
Rating: 
Summary: Please, some poetic license!
Review: The plot, characters, and prose of this book have been well analyzed by the many reviewers, and I see no need to add my opinions on these issues. I will, however, comment about the lack of quotation marks. Given that publishers do have literate staffs, I assume that the omission was deliberate, and, in my view, very effective! I found that without quotation marks, the dialog and descriptions interspersed and flowed seamlessly. The characters' conversation became part of the greater whole of the novel and the portrait it creates. So don't be concerned when the characters speak without punctuation, just sit back and enjoy the ride. I certainly did!
Rating: 
Summary: no plot, no character development . . . yuck!
Review: I thought this was a very poorly written book. First of all, we've developed grammar and punctuation in our language so that writing is easier to understand. How is Haruf a university professor when he doesn't even know how to use commas or quotation marks? I found it tiring and annoying to read his grammatically incorrect drivel. Second, I didn't like that there was really no plot to this "story." I followed along, constantly hoping that the interesting bits would turn into a story (such as *why* Mrs. Guthrie was depressed, what was Maggie Jones' story, *what* problems did Victoria Rubideaux's mother have, etc.), but they never did. Third, I believe if a person is going to write a novel, she or he should spend some time developing the characters. Haruf presents us with two sets of brothers that are indistinguishable from one another: Ike and Bobby, and Harold and ... I can't even think of the other old guy's name. Ike and Bobby are exactly alike and even look like twins. Harold and the other old guy also seem to think and act the same and don't have any individual characteristics. What a bore! And finally, fourth, I just didn't like the "effect" the author used of describing everything from a distance. I never had a sense that I knew or understood or even really empathized with the characters. I just kind of watched them from afar, and like this whole book, didn't find them to be all that interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Hollow Song
Review: I was unable to finish this novel, after giving it one hundred fifty pages worth of a chance. There are too many unread books on my life's list to continue wasting my time with this one. I rarely give up on a book. Starting one is a comittment I take seriously. But there is just nothing in Haruf's "Plainsong" to hold onto. The spare, simple writing that is praised on the book's jacket is almost childish at times. The lack of quotation marks and long, rushed sentences are truly bothersome. But to me, a book's foundation is character. The characters here are like sketches of people, stick-figure drawings, none of which brought out any feelings whatsoever in me. I can't believe this book was a finalist for the Book Award and a bestseller. I take starting a new book very seriously, and I wanted to do my part in helping other people who might be considering this one. Buy a classic instead.
Rating:
Summary: Visual Pleasure
Review: I generally enjoy books that create an image that I can easily visualize. Kent Haruf has created these images for me thus making an impact not just from his wonderful narrative but because I can see his countryside, his dusty roads, his starlit nights, and his abandoned houses. But I can also see his emotions. I can see the fear in Ike and Bobbie's eyes, the lonliness in the heart of Victoria and the hope in Tom Guthrie. The characters in this book are no more special than each one of us. Tom Guthrie is a teacher whose nutso wife has left him with two sons. Victoria is a pregnant high school girl who doesn't know who to turn to. Maggie is a woman who hasn't found the right man but has a good heart. Ike and Bobbie are two kids learning about life. Sound familiar? That's because the author has captured us all in this book. He then winds us together makes us real and fills us with emotion. The images stay with you. The emotion disturbs you. I love reading books like this. You will not be able to read this book and not feel the same way!!!
Rating:
Summary: Predictable yet satisfying
Review: Let's start by admitting that we all know the difference between great books and those that are merely a delight to read. "Plainsong" surely falls into the latter category. None of the many characters in this highly readable novel are, in and of themselves, particularly memorable. None are fully fleshed out, and a few border on being little more than caricatures. But none of that takes away from the fact that Haruf can tell a fine, engrossing story, in which there are mildly heroic heroes and somewhat unpleasant villains (this is the High Plains, after all -- everything is of necessity toned down in keeping with the title of the book) and a series of different stories weave together nicely towards a deeply satisfying emotional payoff. A rich read for the airport or the beach (not a bookclub), and well worth the paperback price.
Rating: 
Summary: A Concept to think about
Review: Plainsong is the story of three groups of people - a pregnant girl, a father of two, and two old bachleors. These three groups will become intertwined in very realistic and ordinary ways. Plainsong presents a look at everyday people dealing with their life issues. Haruf paints a picture for the reader of the need for family and challenges the reader to think about what constitutes a family. The message that I gained from reading Plainsong was that of family by choice. Once you have love, caring and commitment within a group of people you have the seeds of a family. Plainsong was an interesting novel to read. Often as readers we expect the deep and dark rather than the ordinary. This is a new concept to behold. I have spent alot of time reflecting on Plainsong and the strongest message is of the necessity family in any form. I would recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: Besides the punctuation I thought it was great.....
Review: Like others I have to agree with the punctuation. He may have been in a hurry. I felt a little lost in the beginning when the mother was still living at the house. The next thing I read she was living on her own. I must have missed the move. I had to go back and read the chapters over to make sure I did not miss anything. Even with the confusion, I still enjoyed the book very much and have passed it along to family and friends to read. I would still recommend it to anyone to read. Anyone but a Grammar teacher. They would tear it a part!!!!
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