“So it went. Bob was increasingly cynical, leery, uneasy; Jesse was increasingly cavalier, merry, moody, fey, unpredictable. If his gross anatomy suggested a strong smith in his twenties, his actual physical constitution was that of a man who was incrementally… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“but nothing upset and preoccupied him like the phrase whatever they dread most, that will happen. It seemed more than a simple curse; there… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“He also had a condition that was referred to as granulated eyelids and it caused him to blink more than usual, as if he… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“Then the night lessened, the clouds ashened slightly, and the men became starkly black and brown against the gray of the snow.” — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“A human judge who viewed his soul would have condemned him, he thought; exacted some penalty; spurned him. But he felt in the presence… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“Inside, cooking smells maneuvered through the house: cow liver, sweet potatoes, stewed onions, cabbage - scents that were as assertive as colors.” — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“Then I knelt heedfully upright and mentally prayed as we'd been instructed to do, some scared and scientific part of me assaying myself for… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“Bob was not yet twenty, after all, while Jesse was thirty-four and in physical decline; each calendar week subtracted from Jesse the powers that… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“He was increasingly irritable and suspicious, and a cantankerous mood could fly over him as quickly as the shadow of a bird. But Jesse… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“A man of principles," Jesse said. "People say that about themselves when really they only want to make you unhappy.” — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“Charley looked over at him. "About how much you and Jesse have in common." Jesse said, "Why don't you tell it, Bob; if you… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“Bob slid his chair back and moved the coal-oil lamp from the kitchen to the sitting room. He said, "Oftentimes things seem impossible up… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
“They weren't penitent over what they'd attempted; their sorrow reached to the limits of their bodies and no further, all their anguish was in… — Ron Hansen Copy Share Image
