These Latter Days

I love all Kalpakian's books, so was not surprised to love this one. This one introduces Ruth Douglas, a strong and independent matriarch, and her turn-of-the century Western family and includes great humor, wit, masterful story-telling, and yes, some history, too. Full of rich characters you will remember for a long time, I hated for this book to end...but thankfully she has written "American Cookery" which continues the Douglas saga into the late 20th century. If you love the great modern-day storytellers like Pat Conroy, Barbara Kingsolver, Alice Munro, John Irving, etc., you will love Kalpakian's work, the novels as well as the short stories.

Just as I said in the title - like all of Ms. Kalpakian's books, These Latter Days is a fascinating read. And I ended up naming my daughter after one of her characters - Eden - so this one is special to me :).

This is a very good, readable book. I found it well worth my time and money and intend to keep it as part of my library. J. A. Wiggins

The tale of Ruth Mason Douglass and her children, and children's children, is an engrossing, well-written story. Ruth is a Mormon woman who is forced to defy her religious upbringing because of her need to flee the man she married. The book tells of her flight, her life afterwards, and the way her children grow up. The characters in this book are three-dimensional. I was caught up in their lives from the very beginning. I shared their joy and sorrow. I was very sad to find I had reached the last page. I will read it again - this is the ultimate compliment from me.