Guterson is an extraordinary writer and storyteller. I read his first novel, Snow Falling on Cedars while spending one extremely snowy winter in Chicago with my dear Aunt Cassie as she fell ill with cancer and spent her last days in a hospice. The staff was nice enough to let me stay overnight anytime I wanted, so I often stayed up late watching the snow fall reading this book, keeping my Aunt company as she rested.
I'm in Chicago again this year, so I decided to mark the (eighth) anniversary of her death by reading another one of Guterson's books, East of the Mountains. As it happens, the main character in this book is coming to terms with having colon cancer, trying to decide whether to tell his family or to go off on his own and end it all. Ok, it's grim material, but it's also a really well written book with some great insights about aging and death. Fun fact: my Aunt warned me not to visit her grave or else she would haunt me. When we did go to visit her this year, a big white goose confronted us in the middle of the road, looking right at us and blocking the way for the car to move forward for a few minutes. I can't help but think that was my Aunt, urging me to go out and live, rather than wasting time in a cemetery. Now that's a haunting worth experiencing :)
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