As Far as the Eye Can See by Robert Bausch

I initially chose Far as the Eye Can See because I love the cover, I was looking for a “western” that might appeal to students for Junior Theme, and other reviews compared the narrator’s voice to characters created by Mark Twain. While I would still tend to recommend Pulitzer Prize winning Lonesome Dove by McMurtry as the western to read for Junior Theme, I will suggest that students consider Far as the Eye Can See. If they are willing to be patient, they will come to appreciate and look upon the narrator, former Union soldier Bobby Hale, with affection.

He travels for a spell with a wagon train, decides to live as a trapper for several years, and learns even more about himself after accidentally shooting a young, part Indian girl called Ink.  Hale has a unique perspective: "There ain't no use in thinking about the future too much because of what it does to what's going on here and now." For me, it took some time (at least a third of the book), to feel connected to the story and the characters and that may be too long for most students.  However, they will find rich themes (survival and self-discovery, war, genocide, race relations, even gender expectations) which they can relate to today.

Far as the Eye Can See by award-winning Robert Bausch has been named one of the best books of 2014 by Amazon Editors and received starred review from Kirkus.

Added November 30:  This year is the 150th anniversary of Sand Creek Massacre and numerous articles and reflections are being published by The Wall Street Journal "My Great-Great-Grandfather and an American Indian Tragedy", The Denver Post "Searching for Culpability 150 Years Later" and via PBS' website. Or this local production from Rocky Mountain PBS: