Sunday, November 21, 2010

What is Sarahlee Lawrence reading?

The current feature at Writers Read: Sarahlee Lawrence, author of River House.

Her entry begins:
I read only non-fiction, mostly first-person memoir or the like. I am a slow reader and enjoy poetic prose from the late Ellen Meloy in Anthropology of Turquoise, Terry Tempest Williams’ in Red, or Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire.

The book on my bed stand is Harriet Fasenfest’s Householder’s Guide to the Universe. She’s...[read on]
Read an excerpt from River House and learn more about the book at the publisher's website.

Among the praise for River House:
"Handy with tools and rafts, a good neighbor, and a mighty fine horsewoman, Lawrence is also adept with language, writing with arresting lucidity and a driving need to understand her father, her legacy, the land, community, work, and herself. A true adventure story of rare dimension."
Booklist, starred review

"With her keen eye and talent for writing about the natural world, Lawrence pays homage to the American West... Lawrence is one of those remarkable young women spawned by the American West who are adept at running wild rivers, operating heavy equipment, and building a log home, all evocatively told in this informative book."
Publishers Weekly

"It's messy, this building of houses and relationships, but the experiences give this memoir an existential grace."
Kirkus Reviews
Sarahlee Lawrence was born and raised on her family ranch in Terrebonne, Oregon. After a decade spent studying, traveling, river rafting, and earning an MS in Environmental Science and Writing from the University of Montana, she returned to the ranch, where she owns and operates an organic vegetable farm.

Writers Read: Sarahlee Lawrence.

--Marshal Zeringue