Temple Grove: A Novel - Softcover

Elliott, Scott

Softcover

ISBN 10: 029599424X ISBN 13: 9780295994246

Publisher: University of Washington Press, 2014

Synopsis

Deep in the heart of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula lies Temple Grove, one of the last stands of ancient Douglas fir not protected from logging. Bill Newton, a gyppo logger desperate for work and a place to hide, has come to Temple Grove for the money to be made from the timber. There to stop him is Paul, a young Makah environmentalist who will break the law to save the trees. A dangerous chase into the wilds of Olympic National Park ensues, revealing a long-hidden secret that inextricably links the two men. Temple Grove is a gripping tale of suspense and a multilayered novel of place that captures in taut, luminous prose the traditions that tie people to a powerful landscape and the conflicts that run deep among them.

About this title

About the Author:

Scott Elliott is associate professor of creative writing and English at Whitman College and author of the novel Coiled in the Heart. He lives in Walla Walla, Washington.

Review:

Elliott layers suspense with Greek myth, native legend, and personal back stories to create an existentialist puzzle. He offers nuanced observations of character, family, and society, lightly seasoned with a Pacific Northwest brand of magical realism.

--Barbara Lloyd McMichael "Seattle Times "

Scott Elliott's compelling prose vividly captures the essence of its wilderness setting.

--Joni Rodgers "WhatStellaReads.com "

Temple Grove's geographical backdrop is not incidental but serves as a character itself. Knowledge of the Olympic Peninsula exudes from the pages as though they were printed from an old growth and the trees were speaking for themselves.

--Devan Schwartz "The Oregonian "

Tribal culture, environmental concerns, and the need for work in a land where beauty won't put food on the table lead to adventurous encounters, dangerous forest pursuits, and questions . . . to take to . . . book clubs to discuss.

--Trina Hayes, "Hungry for Good Books "

Elliott provides a worthwhile exploration of the conflicting interests of tradition, commerce, and the environment. A good choice for readers interested in ecofiction and regional literature.

--Library Journal

A subtle, brooding novel of environmentalism and human complexities set in the Pacific Northwest.

-- (01/01/2013)

A fine, timely work....Elliott achieved his goal as a novelist -- to help a reader fall in love with the natural world, especially that place perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. It's a book worth reading, especially for those of us who already love the Pacific Northwest.

-- (01/01/2014)

About this edition

• Publisher: University of Washington Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 029599424X
• ISBN 13: 9780295994246
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 272