Too often, authors from Montana are pigeonholed as “regional writers.” Ivan Doig, who passed away in April of 2015, was a native Montanan and most of his 16 novels take place in his home state. But Doig (pronounced DOY-guh) was a great novelist by any standard, not just a scribe of the American West.
It’s often said that writers should write what they know. The best of them are able to transcend the time and places they describe so vividly.
On his website, Doig wrote, “I don’t think of myself as a ‘Western writer.’ To me, language—the substance on the page, that poetry under the prose—is the ultimate ‘region,’ the true home, for a writer.”
His final book, “Last Bus to Wisdom,” was published posthumously and stands out as one of his best works, a parting gift from the Wallace Stegner Award winner.
Like his other novels “The Whistling Season” and “The Bartender’s Tale,” “Last Bus” is a story narrated by an imaginative child who sees the world of adults through an innocent yet preternaturally penetrating gaze.
“Last Bus to Wisdom” follows a precocious 11-year-old orphan named Donal Cameron taking a Greyhound bus from the fictional town Gros Ventre, Montana, to Wisconsin and back again. It is an odyssey, a period piece and a coming-of-age tale in 1950s America. “Back then, you dressed up to go places,” he writes.
In his last yarn, Doig weaves together a rollicking tale filled with memorable characters, including a young Jack Kerouac scribbling away deep into the night. His sentences are always lyrical and at times meandering. But the joy of storytelling constantly percolates just beneath the surface of Doig’s unpredictable, serendipitous plot and his narrator’s lively embellishments.
Doig began his career as a journalist, dabbled in poetry, earned a Ph.D. in history then found his favorite form in the novel. His last book captures the landscapes and people of his youth in a way that transports the reader to a simpler time.
By the end of Doig’s voyage, you can’t help but come away with a wiser, more humane understanding of the fragility of the human condition. This is one Greyhound trip well worth the fare.
Doug Hare is the Distribution Coordinator for Outlaw Partners. He studied philosophy and American literature at Princeton and Harvard universities.
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 - July 31Calling all artists and nature
enthusiasts! Get
more
Event Details
CALL FOR ARTISTS: Paint anytime from June 1-28
EXHIBITION & SALE: June 29 – July 31
Calling all artists and nature
enthusiasts! Get your paintbrushes ready for an unforgettable experience at
Paint Under the Big Sky, a thrilling plein air event set against the stunning
backdrop of Big Sky, MT, Chet Huntley’s “The Last Best Place”. Don’t
miss this chance to unleash your creativity and be part of a vibrant artistic community.
What is Paint Under the Big Sky? PUBS is a plein air event for all painters of any ability (over the age of 16). Sponsored by the Big Sky Artist’s Studio & Gallery and the Big Sky Artists Collective, a non-profit organization whose mission is to foster a strong community of artists in the Big Sky area, the paint-out hopes to introduce painters to our extraordinary landscape for an opportunity to create, meet and have fun. Plein air painters record our landscape for generations to come.
Artists are invited to travel to Big
Sky, MT to paint anytime between Jun 1 – 28, and participate in the exhibition
and sale of paintings from June 29 – July 31.
Come join us! We have a great
place to paint and are welcoming and fun!
Don’t miss out!
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 1:00 am - July 31 (Wednesday) 11:55 pm
Embrace the freedom and
serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the
Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice
Event Details
Embrace the freedom and
serenity of movement in nature with our rejuvenating morning yoga class on the
Mountain Lawn. Allow the fresh mountain air and gentle guided yoga practice to
invigorate your day of adventure ahead. Complimentary.Weather
permitting.
Time
June 1 (Saturday) 7:00 am - August 31 (Saturday) 7:00 am
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 10 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 19 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
June 17 (Monday) 6:00 pm - August 26 (Monday) 6:00 pm