Burning Fence A Western Memoir of Fatherhood [Paperback]

A memoir of startling emotion and grace,Burning Fenceis the story of the men in Craig Lesley's family: absent father, Rudell, tough stepfather, Vern, adopted son, Wade, and Craig Lesley himself. Their story is one of hardship, violence, and cautious, heartbreaking attempts toward compassion. Lesley's fearless journey through his family history provides a remarkable portrait of hard living in the Western states, and confirms his place as one of the region's very best storytellers.

Craig Lesleyreceived the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Book Award forThe Sky Fisherman, Winterkill,andTalking Leaves. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Portland, Oregon, where he teaches at Portland State University.

I experienced Craig Lesley'sBurning Fenceas an addiction of sorts--everything else in my life got pushed off to the side so I could live in its pages. A seminal work of Western literature. David Guterson, author of Snow Falling on Ceders

Lesley has written an extraordinary memoir that speaks to the remarkable depth of his life experience. This is a splendid work, beautifully told and deeply moving. Robert Olen Butler, Pulitzer Prize--winning author of A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain

This vivid, unflinching story of Lesley's own life, as a son and a father, can only serve to increase his already considerable stature as a writer--and, not incidentally, as a human being. Kent Haruf, author of Plainsong

Beyond the legends of the West and the fables of fatherhood, Craig Lesley's beautiful memoir comes forward with one man's personal truth. One of his bravest and truest works to date. Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Crescent

Craig Lesley is intimate with denied ambitions, the heartbreak of living poor and out of the loop in rural America, and the cracked humor with which the disenfranchised so often respond. If you want to understand what's going on inlS-