Travers Corners: The Final Chapters: Stories by Scott Waldie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Scott Waldie (who unfortunately passed away a few years ago) gave us a fine gift in his three Travers Corners books. The last, The Final Chapters,” continues the stories of the characters in fictional Travers Corners, Montana.
There is nothing new or startling about these stories, either in content or execution. One of the things I like about these stories is the lack of pretentiousness—what you see is what you get: good old fashioned storytelling. These stories aren’t about big issues. The author isn’t trying to make a point. These are stories about regular people doing regular things as they live their lives in a small corner of the world.
Fly fishing is an integral part of nearly every story. The main character, Jud, is a river boat builder. He also guides and fishes on the local waters, known for their large trout.
Waldie’s storytelling skills are just right, with a turn of phrase here and there to add just enough something extra to a story that makes a connection with a reader. He brings the reader into the story, making them wish they were a part of the story, or, rather, part of the town and lives of the characters in the story.
These stories are about friends and how people get along in a small (albeit idealized) town. Things usually work out well for the characters, but when they don’t you are there pulling for them.
These are “feel good” stories, but they aren’t sappy. They are easy reads, and each chapter is a self-contained story, although they are all about the same place and same people. You could easily open the book to a random chapter and read it without missing a thing.
When you’re tired of your heavy reading, and need a light pick-me-up read, make sure you have all three of the Travers Corners books on hand.
Scott,
Thanks for again recommending a worthwhile read. Mr. Waldie has provided me some new comfort reading (less caloric than comfort food, thank goodness!). I am so impressed by his style and cast of characters I’ve sent off for his earlier works about Travers Corners. The thing I like about this book is that each chapter is its own little story, just long enough to fill a short lunch break.
Ray
Hi Ray! Yep, can’t go wrong with Travers Corners. Like you, it’s nice to have those chapters self-contained because you can easily finish one without too much effort. I wish he were a little more widely read amongst the FF crowd. Heck, by anyone really. I’m glad you’re keeping the caloric intake to a minimum with his books (although I’d imagine the fiber count can be a bit high).