Train Dreams

TRAIN DREAMS 
by Denis Johnson

Nomination: Pulitzer 2012

Date Read: July 12, 2020

As if occurring in a dream, Robert Grainier is a salt-of-the-earth, hard-working man who wants nothing more from life than a quiet existence. And if there is any word that can sum up this short novel, it is the word quiet. Grainier goes about the loss of his family and the hard work of re-establishing his life after a terrible fire in a quiet way, requiring no companionship and with no expectations of the future.

The beauty of this novel is Denis Johnson's ability to condense what could have been an epic novel into a mere 125 pages. He creates a world where daily life moves slow but the advances of technology move quickly. Grainier is merely an observer to these sweeping changes, taking each in stride and allowing the drastic change they imply simply rush past him. Although some in his world choose to trade in their horse and carriage for a Model T, Grainier sticks with his trusty horses. 

As implied in the title, the train is a constant in Grainier's world. Not only does he help build the tracks that extend the railroad into the Northwest, he is a frequent traveler by rail and is comfortable in this mode of travel. He listens to the comforting whistle of the train from his cabin and enjoys observing the other passengers traveling to destinations unknown. 

Looking Forward: The Name of the World, Tree of Smoke

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