Book Summary and Reviews of Evelyn in Transit by David Guterson

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Susan_S1

Evelyn, where are you?
When I finished this book, I went right to the computer and tried to find more references about Evelyn! It was so clear that she was a person that I wanted to know more about. And the way David Guterson write about Evelyn, makes me feel like I already know her. She is clear, simple, human and approachable. And interspersed in the chapters about Evelyn, is a Tibetan lama and a description of his life. Tserling's life, so much different from Evelyn's but somehow connected, left me wanting to know more about him as well. So foreign, so exotic, so circumscribed. The contrast is stark and remarkable. And yet they are connected. Fascinating to see how time and space bring them together (and not together) with an eye to the future. This book would be great for book clubs (lots of meat to discuss, lots of possibilities to consider) and for those wanting to learn more about Tibetan Buddhism, but with a twist!

Donna_M

Evelyn in Transit - perfectly titled
Evelyn is unlike anyone she knows. She thinks and speaks with unabashed frankness and acts without fear or hesitation. Her story begins with her childhood and continues from there. Because she doesn't fear change, she moves quite undisturbed through to another location, job, whatever.

After Tsering is injured as a boy, he lives with his uncle, a devout Buddhist, so Tsering was educated toward becoming a monk in Bhutan. But Tsering, like Evelyn, was also in transit. He left his uncle and the monastery heading out on his own, eventually becoming a lama (Buddhist Holy Man, for lack of a deeper description).

When the two characters intersect, we feel both the inevitability and randomness of their transits.

David Guterson tells their stories in a series of vignettes. His language is plain and straightforward so the reader is free to make independent assessments of the characters. At first this seemed a bit awkward to me. It is written in a "just the facts" style. This turns out to be brilliant by offering us a more complete understanding of the characters than if he had used a different treatment. We become swept along with each story. Each vignette provides a unique window. I easily connected with both characters. Evelyn in Transit is a lovely read as the reader's thoughts are continually stimulated.

Reading Evelyn in Transit has inspired me to read more about Buddhism and the Dalai Lama though I already have some per some knowledge. . The book is worthwhile, enjoyable and at times humorous. Definitely recommend. .

Candace_T

Interesting and Uplifting
It concerns a young woman named Evelyn who starts out from her home and keeps going. A simple concept but the author includes all the steps it takes to make it through each day. In that way it provokes thinking about how we each live our lives. At one point she becomes pregnant and when her son is older some men come to her house and tell her that her son has been determined to be part of a line of lamas. This meant he would have to go to Nepal and live in a monastery with other monks to study for his life.
Evelyn must make a decision whether to take him there or not.

The writing is very direct but it is very peaceful to read. The story is somewhat simple but includes many things that can happen in life so I liked that aspect. The scenes pass from one place to another with no real agenda but this reflects the thinking of Evelyn which is quite focused. I liked this book very much.

Linda_L

Take the journey with Evelyn. You'll be glad you did.
I just completed my second reading of Evelyn in Transit. It was essential for me, even though, I felt that I had read it carefully the first time. When I got to the astonishing and unanticipated ending, I knew I had overlooked clues that the author shared all along the way. The second reading was revelatory.

The two main characters were inspired, in part, by actual events. One would not think that two so very different people could be connected in any way. That's the beauty of the story and Guterson's matter of fact storytelling. He takes you on a journey to a surprising ending.

Evelyn in Transit is a quick read, but difficult to categorize. I seldom read books twice, but I am very glad I did with this one.

Susan_L

One Stone at a Time
Evelyn in Transit takes you on a journey one vignette at a time. The book comprises short stories from the two main characters' lives, each short glimpse into their lives leading you to the ending. This is a contemplative book, filled with moments and ideas. I thoroughly enjoyed how it unfurled along the pages. It, like the core of the book, seemed rooted in the tenets of Buddhism. Meditative and thoughtful. Mindful and curious. It is a book to consider and observe, not fly through. There are moments of insight mixed in with the mundane. Each page like the stones Evelyn carries up the mountain.

JLPen77

A Mega Question
I'm a long-time fan of David Guterson, whose novels feature strong, decent, relatable characters confronting a moral dilemma with repercussions far beyond themselves.

This novel is no exception--but it is departure from his previous work. The main characters here are real people--as the author tells us in a letter to readers at the start. Guterson has met them, he says---but their story as he tells it here is fiction. He was drawn to it as a way of exploring his own big question, as a parent and as, like his protagonist Evelyn, an "off-beat" independent thinker: "What do we want for our children, or hope for them, and why? What is a good life...?"

The fictional Evelyn Bednarz is indeed an original character. From the outset, growing up in a loving family in rural poverty in Southwestern Indiana, attending a parochial school, she's out of place: unusually tall, strong, and curious, questioning nature, religion, convention. She's smart enough to break rules that make no sense but to respect the ones that do. She takes no guff but is generous and kind. She's a hard worker, as an adult more interested in exploring her country than in acquiring wealth. Her progress is fascinating.

Evelyn ends up back at home as a single parent, and happy to be there... where out of the blue, when her son Cliff is five, two strangers show up to announce he is the reincarnation of a high-ranking Buddhist lama. They would like to bring him to Nepal to be trained to assume his rightful role. But the choice is for Evelyn to make.

This novel is an invitation to explore what matters most---and be entertained and inspired along the way.

...20 more reader reviews

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