CROSSING PURGATORY
by Gary Schanbacher
Pegasus, 2013
Hardcover, 336 pages
9781605984438
$25.00 (US)
In May of 1858, Thompson Grey abandons his
farm in Indiana, unable to live in the present and inconsolable after
the death of his wife and two children. He feels responsible, believing
his lust for a better life killed his family, and walks away full of
thoughts about his empty life.
There can be no words to describe
Thompson’s deep sense of guilt and self-loathing, but Gary Schanbacher
gives readers a rare glimpse into a man’s emotional battles: “Dream
world or real? … He fought to relegate his dark epiphany to the realm of
drifting and unreliable imagination… The world took shape … but the
truth remained before him, ox-like, stubborn, massive and accusing.”
CROSSING PURGATORY is the hellish
self-imposed journey Thompson takes as he grieves daily, directionless,
haunted by nightmares and restless nights. Bereft of everything he
loves, he prefers the open space of the outdoors. Perhaps his purpose is
to find his lost soul. He is confronted by Captain Upperdine, a
wagonmaster leading immigrants to a new life out West along the Sante Fe
Trail. Upperdine, puzzled by the taciturn farmer, relays the perils of
the unforgiving climate and convinces Thompson to help him manage his
party across the country.
As his wagon train diminishes in size,
Upperdine leads Thompson and one remaining family to his home to rest
and make plans. Upperdine has an Indian wife, who provides some security
from her people and protection for his vast land holdings. The land
isn’t suitable for crops, but Thompson devises a plan to farm the barren
land for profit. Unsure about his future and driven by blinding
ambition, he is tempted to revisit his past.
Gary Schanbacher strips Thompson Grey down
to his intimate, unfiltered thoughts. Readers will savor this
beautifully rich historical novel, a work whose literary future is
assured. Schanbacher’s clear writing illuminates many precise visual
details. Take this one on vacation this summer.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from HNR to write a candid review for publication.
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