The 70 proof staff enjoys three things above all else. And it just so happens that reading is third behind only... well, let's just say it's third.

Every few weeks we'll provide brief reviews of the books we've been reading in hopes of helping you, our valued readers, make better choices the next time you're at the library, book store, or refined brothel.

We rate books on a scale of zero to four shots, with four being a work of true genius.

Feel free to let us know if you have any books in particular you would like us to address.

May 20, 2002

"A Lost Lady" by Willa Cather: Mrs. Marian Forrester stands alone in the western pioneer town of Sweet Water as a woman of uncommon beauty and grace. Young boys idolize her, grown men desire her, and other women wish to be her. So she was one happenin' broad.

Marian's husband is Captain Forrester, a man 25 years her senior who made his fortune in the railroad business. The Captain passed through Sweet Water during his youth and was determined to one day build his dream house, and life, on the very spot. His dream came true.

Mr. and Mrs. Forrester were unofficial royalty. Everyone admired them. To put it in perspective, it would kind of be like if Billy Bob Thornton and Angelina Jolie moved into your town. You'd be all, "What is she doin' with that old bag of bones? She must be such a kind woman." But then you really wouldn't care why she was there, just so long as she was there. Hold on. Give me a second. I'm still thinking of Angelina Jolie. This could take awhile...

Anyway, Marian Forrester is the centerpiece of the story. She's seen through the eyes of Niel Herbert, a young man that grew up worshipping the lady fair. As the years pass, Niel's interactions with the Forresters reveals tremendous insights into the true nature of relationships, reality versus image, and the pain involved in realizing the flaws of someone you love.

The beginning of the tale also contains a chilling act of cruelty towards an innocent bird that serves not only to set the wheels in motion for the rest of the story, but is also symbolic of events to come.

You know a book is great when you don't know you're reading a book. The work should flow, it should be effortless. And everything Willa Cather does here is effortless. There's never a false step. "A Lost Lady" is quite the little gem.

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"Intruder in the Dust" by William Faulkner: Lucas Beauchamp has always been his own man, proud and true to himself. That's great unless you're a black man in the racist South. And you don't want to rub Whitey the wrong way. When Lucas discovers some locals involved in an illegal lumber scam, he gets framed for a murder he didn't commit. Since he's accused of shooting a white man in the back, there's no shortage of townsfolk out for blood.

Lucas' fate rests with young Chick Mallison, the white nephew of the town's most prominent lawyer. Chick is the only person willing to listen to what Lucas has to say, despite his own misdirected resentment towards Mr. Beauchamp stemming from a childhood accident. Chick, along with Aleck Sander, a black teenager, and Miss Habersham, an old white lady, set out to prove the man's innocence.

I didn't really know a whole lot about this book when I picked it up. After reading the first few pages, I was sure it had to be one of Faulkner's early works. It just had the feel of something raw, unpolished; of trying too hard to prove one's worth. I was shocked to learn that it is actually one of Faulkner's later works. He must of been experimenting with some new things... like mediocrity.

While Lucas Beauchamp is a swell character, there's really nothing here to support him. The story reads like Encyclopedia Brown goes to Mississippi. The persistent question of "Who cares?" echoes throughout its pages. It's overwrought, overdramatic, and, when finished, I was just glad it was over. If you're in the mood for some Faulkner, and you've already experienced the big two of "The Sound and the Fury" and "As I Lay Dying", spend your time instead with the underrated "Light in August" or "The Reivers".

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