101 Books, Number 42

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

42: Great Plains, 1989, by Ian Frazier (1951–)

I’ve loved the plains since I was young—

An Oklahoma boy, you know,

And sang with my young Southwest tongue

That “Oklahoma!” song—no glow

In my young voice—but still.The Plains!

We’d taken trips across the West—

In deserts and in driving rains—

But trips out West? For me: the Best!

And Frazier’s agile, thoughtful book

Delighted me, from first to last.

Such pleasure Ian Frazier took

In dealing with the land, the cast.

He grew up here in Hudson, and

We’ve met him many happy times.

We too both love that Western land

So noted for it heroes, crimes.

He writes for the New Yorker now—

Has written other books galore.

I’ve read them all (each earns a “Wow!”)—

But Great Plains made me yearn for more.