Days Without End by Sebastian Barry

 Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020--San Antonio

Days Without End by Sebastian Barry is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read.  Line after line within the book is a marvel.  And since it is set in the American West of the mid-to-late 1800s, the writing skills of the author are further magnified by his apparently authentic use of terms and expressions of that time that caused me to touch my fingers to the text (on my Kindle) to get a pop-up definition to be sure of what was being referenced.  The story itself is fascinating--a western covering such often overlooked topics such as the use of young men to dress as women for the entertainment (dancing partners or stage performers) of miners, a young man eventually discovering that he felt internally more like a female than a male even though he had fought as a soldier in both Indian wars and the Civil War, two men being able to have a life-long homosexual relationship that was secret but also often accepted by those close to them, etc.  But homosexuality is a very small part of the story and is never explicitly described.  It's the story of how two young men met and spent their lives finding ways to make a living, help others, and get by while trying to be good people and staying together.  The writing, however, is the star of the book; how wonderful it was to come across gem after gem of insightful wording.  The book won 2 major literary awards in 2017 and was named a top book of the year by TIME.  I gave it 4 1/2 stars out of 5.