What do readers think of Close Range by Annie Proulx? Write your own review.

One of my greatest reading joys is being transported to another place just by opening a book. It's magic! That's the case with this extraordinary collection of short stories by Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Proulx that all take place in Wyoming, a state with hardscrabble land and sturdy, strong-willed people. You'll see the wind-blown bouncing tumbleweed, feel the eddies of dust coat your skin, hear the hordes of trilling grasshoppers, and marvel at the sight of redtails cruising across the gray, storm-laden sky. Welcome to Wyoming.

Each story features an odd and fascinating cast of characters unlike anyone I have ever met in my life. They are hardened ranch hands, daring rodeo bull riders, gritty cowboys, lonely but strong women, and even one former business executive from California who moves to Wyoming to await the apocalypse. None of them have much money, but all of them have ideas—some wackier than others.

But the genius of this book is Annie Proulx's writing. Her terse sentences, harsh descriptions of the weather and landscape, and the rough, course, and fierce characters she brings to life with their colorful dialogue truly make it FEEL like Wyoming. Using nouns, adjectives, and verbs, she magically takes her readers to this surreal, remote, and isolated environment. These powerful stories are rough, violent, tragic, and even a bit crude—just like the characters they depict. It all seems so real that you'll want to wipe the dust off your feet when you close the book.

Bonus: The last story in this collection of 11 short stories is "Brokeback Mountain," the inspiration for the 2005 film starring Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, and Anne Hathaway. I think it's the best in the bunch.