Why people recommend it
In the Distance by Hern%c3%a1n D%c3%adaz is a structurally ambitious historical novel that follows a young Swedish immigrant wandering across the American West before the Civil War. The book was discussed on two separate episodes of The Book Review podcast in July 2024. In the episode titled Jo Nesbo Reimagines 'Macbeth', the host mentioned the novel while reflecting on its status as a fiction finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, describing it as an unexpected dark horse candidate in the literary race. Shortly after, in the episode titled Pulitzer Winners, host Gilbert Cruz spoke directly with the author about the work. Cruz noted that Diaz's previous effort and debut novel was a Pulitzer finalist, characterizing it as a western of sorts set on the opposite side of the country prior to the Civil War. Cruz further observed that the author's subsequent projects proved to be quite different in scope and notably ambitious in their formal construction, cementing the writer's reputation for crafting inventive historical narratives that challenge traditional genre boundaries and geographical expectations within American literature.
Who recommended it
- Gilbert Cruz Discussed
Gilbert Cruz — 1 mention
“your previous book your first novel in the distance was a piter f list and that first one was a western of sorts taking place on the other side of the country before the Civil War this one's quite different and it's structurally ambitious”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“and the third book this the other finalist for fiction was hernand Diaz's in the distance which was also kind of a not just a dark horse but of an unknown horse in the race”