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The short story collection that gave us Brokeback Mountain. And what a bleak bunch it is. Although some of the stories have a bit of humour to them, they're basically showing how many ways you can die by disaster or misadventure in Wyoming. Makes for great reading, but it is definitely not selling Wyoming as a place I'd want to live, or visit, or even pass through 😆

Found in a charity shop. Weirdly it doesn't have an ISBN-number, just a CN-number. Supposedly used for book club books etc? There's nothing else to indicate it though, just published by QPD (Quality Paperbacks Direct, London) by arrangement with Fourth Estate Limited.

Close Range is a solid story collection exhibiting the harsh brutality of life in #Wyoming. Reading this, it‘s not hard to wonder why it‘s the state with the smallest population yet is 9th in total land area. There is some brief casual violence here and this definitely isn‘t for everyone, but I quite liked it.

#ReadingUSA2019

#AnglophileApril #CloseToMe I have read some Proulx ,need to read some more .I‘m getting rid of all my books....April Fools!

Eesh. This book was so not for me. I made it halfway, because it was a book club pick and I really try to finish those. But after two of the stories made me physically ill, I decided to bail. (Only two of our members actually finished the book.) Too much ugliness without any apparent point, other than maybe anti-tourism. “Wyoming: You do NOT want to come here.”

Hi, my name is Crystal and I have a serious book addiction. #bookhaul from 2nd & Charles‘ buy 5, get 5 free sale 😰

I‘m putting the actual quote under a spoiler due to graphic violence and gay violence.

I am so grateful that I live somewhere that it is safe for me to love my partner. I never forget that this is the way that my gay brothers and sisters have been treated in this country, as early as 50 years ago Even though there are laws to protect us here we can never forget what we have come from. #pride #queerbooks

‘The long run is a luxury. You can drive a nail on that.‘

God the truth of this. I feel like it applies to the environmental and economic pr blend we are faced with today that might not have been so drastic if previous generations had been more careful and aware of their actions.

But on the other hand, the long run is a luxury that they couldn‘t afford at the time.

Not that millennials can afford to clean it up either. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Sneaking a quick break for breakfast and another of these gorgeous #shortstories. I think I‘m becoming a short story person??? #illustration #illustrated

I‘m really enjoying these stories. My grandparents were farmers and ranchers for most of my life and the stories they would tell me about their parents and siblings have so many similarities to the type of story Proulx is telling in this book. These are cowboys stories about people that live off of what they can scratch out of the ground, men that hurt and never talk about it, and prairies that are awe inspiring in their bleakness.

It‘s sooo hot. I tried reading in the bedroom with Lucille, as pictured here, but I‘ve had to migrate out to the hammock. +30 at 7 at night is way too hot. #lucilleproblems

I‘m in need of some #queerfiction, stat! This collection of #shortstories includes the authors most famous, brokeback mountain. It‘s Stampede in #yyc and this feels like the perfect read for right now. Not to mention that my family have been long term prairie people and cow people and I am super excited for this read. 🤠

Hey everyone! What do all these movies have in common? That‘s right - they‘re based on short stories!

I would like to host a short story swap if there‘s any interest. The idea would be to read something new. You will send your match a book of short stories that you would recommend - not necessarily off their TBR.

This is meant to be a low-impact swap so 1 book and 1 treat/gift is sufficient! Or...2 books and no items 😉

Opening day July 11

Stories about the West got me through lonely nights in Africa when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer. This was one of my favorite reads.

I love these western stories by Proulx!
#shortontimeshortstories #backtoreading @Tiffy_Reads

These stories are depressing, grim, heartbreaking, even macabre at times. But they are all so beautifully written. Annie Proulx is an amazing writer, it's just her choice of subject matter for these stories that is hard to read sometimes. I think "Brokeback Mountain" is the best story in the book, but I may be prejudiced by the memory of the actors' performances in the movie. Definitely recommend, but balance it with something lighter.

Good grief, these stories are depressing. They are beautifully written, but bleak and disturbing. I'm about 85% done with this book. I have to take a break between stories to read something lighter.

I'm reading everyone's stats for #24in48 with great envy...sigh. As usual, kids kept me from reading a lot, but I did get a solid hour and a half in on Close Range last night. #usareadingroadtrip - Wyoming

I started this one in e-book form today on Scribd as my Wyoming book for #usareadingroadtrip. Short stories are not my favorite, but I am looking forward to finally reading "Brokeback Mountain."

I've really enjoyed this collection of Wyoming stories; Proulx is a great writer & wonderful storyteller. I first bought it to read "Brokeback Mountain" after seeing the Ang Lee film & have been delighted with the understated writing that helps covey the power & complexity of characters' psychology and emotions. It's time to read more by this author. Her book of the west enriches that genre by making me see it in new ways. Great stuff.

A kind of joyous hysteria moved into the room, everything flying before the wind, vehicles outside getting dented to hell, the crowd sweaty and the smells of aftershave, manure, clothes dried on the line, your money‘s worth of perfume, smoke, booze; the music subdued by the shout and babble... It is the kind of Saturday night that torches your life for a few hours, makes it seem like something is happening.

Snow snakes @tkmadden

"There was some open space between what he knew and what he tried to believe, but nothing could be done about it, and if you can't fix it you've got to stand it.”

6 months without my father and this Annie Proulx line, like so many of her lines, is hugging me like "I know."

Jack, I swear--

When you wake up thinking "I'm a writer. I can write. How COOL is that?" and then you open up to the first sentence of an Annie Proulx story and she's like "LOL! bitch please."

if you like to cry in the morning as much as I do