Legends Of The Fall by Jim Harrison

Yes, agreed, have been reading books and watching far too many DVDs. In my defence, Brisbane’s humidity has been simply woeful with the hottest ever Christmas Day on record, and the temperatures haven’t decreased by much yet. Plus, we are still living on leftovers, including my other Epic Christmas Fail : Cous Cous with Pumpkin(home grown) in Nutmeg, with Bok Choy and Feta Cheese. I enjoyed this dish, but not for seven days in a row.

Look what I picked up for $1 at the local charity shop? This book is actually made up of three novellas, the last being Legends of the Fall, which is only 81 pages in length.

Have we all seen the 1990’s movie, starring a young Brad Pitt (before he was tainted by train wreck relationships), and Anthony Hopkins in one of his best ever roles? Legends of the Fall is another of those movies I tend to watch once a year : great story, beautiful scenery, Native Indian folklore, and a good dash of whimsy.

The novella, by James Harrison, published twenty years beforehand, is about three brothers and their father living in the wilderness and plains of Montana in the early 20th century and how their lives are affected by nature, history, war and love. The books time frame spans from World War I through to the Prohibition era, with an epilogue that dates to the next generation.

The writing is concise, breathtakingly beautiful whilst at times being totally brutal. It’s a wonderful story, and one from which the movie has not deviated from all that much, but rather expanded upon.

My copy of the book looks as if it’s been through the wars. Nevertheless, it’s one that I will not be parting with.

And I promise to brush my hair tomorrow and leave the house and sofa, even if it’s before 8 am to beat this wretched heat.