Plainsong by Kent Haruf is the first selection for the 2016 Spring Read.
“In the same way that the plains define the American landscape, small-town life in the heartlands is a quintessentially American experience. Holt, Colo., a tiny prairie community near Denver, is both the setting for and the psychological matrix of Haruf's beautifully executed . . . descriptions of rural existence where weather and landscape are integral to tone and mood, serving as backdrop to every scene. This is a compelling story of grief, bereavement, loneliness and anger, but also of kindness, benevolence, love and the making of a strange new family. In depicting the stalwart courage of decent, troubled people going on with their lives, Haruf's quietly eloquent account illumines the possibilities of grace.” (From Publishers Weekly, Peter Matson, 1999)
A Book Club Discussion Guide for Plainsong is available to help guide anyone leading a book club. This guide includes a Sense of Place opener by HPPR Board President Wayne Hughes, welcomes from the discussion and forum leaders, various notes, discussion questions, and more!
If you're a teacher wanting to teach Plainsong in your classroom, a Guide for Teachers has been created. This was compiled by Lynne Hewes and Rebecca Koehn. It includes author notes, reading check questions, book discussion questions, and other assignments.
If you haven't, yet ?join the Radio Readers Book Clubby filling out this short form. Then we invite you to connect with other readers by participating in the online discussion forum.
