Snow, Ashes

By Alyson Hagy

Adams breathed through the thick weave of his pulse. Hobbs.
Again. His return likely meant trouble. Care and trouble.

The uneasy friendship between Fremont Adams and C. D. Hobbs worked best when both men had a job to do, when they could fall into the rhythm of hard labor. Neglected by his mother at an early age, Hobbs found his way into the Adams family. But everyone could tell he was always a bit off. Fremont resigned himself
to watching out for Hobbs, who had the innocence and optimism that can come only from ignorance. After a grueling tour of duty in Korea, however, Adams and Hobbs return to the ranch marked in dangerous ways.

In four parts--alternating between the Wyoming ranch and Korea--Alyson Hagy reveals the intricacies of a profound friendship between two very different men. Snow, Ashes is a suspenseful, engaging exploration of survival and failure and of how the most vulnerable among us can have a wisdom beyond measure.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555974686
• ISBN13: 9781555974688
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Graywolf Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Gripping story!

I have worked with Alyson Hagy and knew she was a writer -- so I was eager to read one of her books. I thought it was terrific! The story centers on two Wyoming sheep ranchers who served together in the Korean war. But it's more than just ranching tales and war stories. These veterans are as tough as the land they ranch, but their lives have been forever changed and intertwined by the physical and emotional scars of battle they suffered decades ago. It is compelling reading.

The prevailing intelligence of Alyson Hagy

There are those writers who use language and those who seem to invent it; Alyson Hagy falls into the second category. SNOW, ASHES, a story about male friendship and consequences, about Wyoming farm hands transformed by a tragic stint in the Korean War, is impeccably researched, brilliantly written, and emotionally resonant. It stays with you long after you turn the last page. Hagy is one of the most interesting female writers working today--tough minded about plot and characters, deep souled. She is deserving of the sort of attention she gives to every word.