Driftless

By: David Rhodes

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Driftless is an unforgettable story of contemporary life in rural America. Words, Wisconsin, home to a few hundred people yet absent from state maps, comes richly to life by way of an extraordinary cast of characters.

Among them, a middle-aged couple guards the family farm from the mendacious schemes of their milk cooperative; a lifelong invalid finds herself crippled by her resentment of and her affection for her sister; a woman of conflicting impulses and pastor of the local Friends Church stumbles upon an enlightenment she never expected; a cantankerous retiree discovers a cougar living in his haymow, haunting him like a childhood memory; and a former drifter forever alters the ties that bind a community together.

At once intimate and funny, wise and generous, Driftless marks the triumphant return of a significant American writer.

©2008 David Rhodes (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"The best work of fiction to come out of the Midwest in many years." ( Chicago Tribune)
"Rhodes illuminates the wisdom acquired through hard work, the ancient covenant of farming, and the balm of kindness. Encompassing and incisive, comedic and profound, Driftless is a radiant novel of community and courage." ( Booklist)

Threads woven into a brilliant fabric

This was a story telling fit for a gathering with word choice and phrase creations that are extraordinary. The characters are real and their lives imaginable. Congratulations to all involved and thank you.

Tour de force of both writing and narration

I can't say enough for this book and how it spoke to me during this divided time in our nation. Set in rural WI, it gave me a close-up empathy and insight into characters with lives and experiences far from my own urban liberal bent. If there is a criticism of the novel, it's that the book is peopled with too many characters. Each one is introduced in a separate chapter at the beginning of the book and I had to take notes to keep them straight. Because of the large cast, Audible made the excellent decision to assign a different narrator for each main character. It brilliantly helped me distinguish the characters. Rhodes loves every one of his disparate characters and helps the reader if not love, at least understand them too.

Southern Accents?

The story is very good and I enjoyed that it did not develop as I anticipated. Beautiful geographic description if the area and the characters that reside in the Driftless region. But the attempt at various accents was very distracting; in particular southern.

Great character development

What made the experience of listening to Driftless the most enjoyable?

This was my first book on Audible. The ability to shift formats from sound to print in a seamless fashion will forever change my reading life.

What did you like best about this story?

David Rhodes is a master of description and character development. I really cared about these characters and wanted to follow their stories and experiences. He has a lively imagination putting characters in situations that I could not imagine and brings in humor.

A Quiet Masterpiece

This book is completely beautiful. Rhodes paints the driftless region of southwestern Wisconsin with a delicate hand that captures its beauty and its metaphysical power. Every character, whether it's a mysterious cougar, a cross old farmer, a fighting dog, or a brilliant woman in a wheelchair, is perfectly drawn and someone you'd like to know. The plot is at once pastoral and also suspenseful and driving forward - compelling, but with the volume turned down to a whisper, asking you to lean in.

Rhodes' personal story is equally compelling and an interesting harmony with this book.

HIGHLY recommended.