Beulah Land

By Krista McGruder

Book Overview

An undertaker lobbies to bury a convicted murderer in a Kansas public cemetery. In the Black Hills, a lawyer prods her Native American grandmother for clues about a family death. An injured dancer... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1592640273
• ISBN13: 9781592640270
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Toby Pr
• Length: 283 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 1.3" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

Twining tales are rich with the everyday quest for meaning

Beulah Land is an impressively written anthology of quite intense tales by Krista McGruder which are set in the American heartlands and turn about the hub of human relationships. A lawyer tries to learn clues about a family death from her Native American grandmother; a cancer patient connects with her grandfather's efforts to protect wildlife of the Ozark; an undertaker tries to have a convicted murderer buried in a Kansas public cemetery. These twining tales are rich with the everyday quest for meaning and understanding. Beulah Land clearly documents Krista McGruder as a major literary talent.

Amazing Range

I really think this is a 4 1/2 star book but I can't issue that - so it gets 5. This woman demonstrates an incredible range in her work- is this really her first book? Granted, the collection of stories is rather eclectic (from "Dirty Laundry" about an awkward lesbian relationship in New York City to the title story about a disputed church in the Ozark Mountains) but if you are willing to go with the flow, the transitions are worth it.Some of the prose can seem like "heavy lifting" but I found it challenging and satisfying.The knowledge she imparts about the details of a wide variety of subjects is quite impressive ( don't take my word for it- read the blurbs on the dust jacket). I found some of the stories very moving like "The Southernmost Point". Others were shocking and perplexing like "Clan of Marsupials".She takes big risks. Her second-person point of view in Beulah Land is daring and worth gnawing your way through every chewy sentence. Why don't I see this more often?What I like most about it is that it breaks out of the strong current trend of "semi-autobiographical" fiction.At the very least this is a refreshing take on modern fiction and certainly well worth reading. I look forward to reading more of McGruder and hope that she stays the course with her unique style.

AN INCREDIBLE DEBUT WITH BEULAH LAND 5 STARS!

There are books that come once in a while that are astonishing for the breadth of knowledge on display. Krista McGruder is one of those authors that knows her subject matter and knows the details of life of people in this country. Forget your whiny New York carping; this girl can write. I liked the title story in particular for its portrayal of a strong-willed woman. Buy this book and enjoy!

A finely written debut

It's a fine collection, perhaps not the greatest book ever but interesting writing. I've noticed that Krista McGruder has given several negative book reviews and wonder if the Park Slope/Hoboken literary set and friends have decided to flame her in the online forum. Beulah Land got a decent review elsewhere, so it's interesting that the piling on comes from New York environs. Of course, maybe the author should watch herself in when giving negative reviews to other writers.

Interesting Undercurrents

I found Beulah Land reminiscent of some of the earlier works of Eudora Welty. Southerners enjoy quirky characters and their reflection of the human soul. I enjoyed the book and recommend it to the intuitive reader.