Identify Books As Killing Mister Watson (Shadow Country Trilogy #1)
| Original Title: | Killing Mister Watson |
| ISBN: | 0517086719 (ISBN13: 9780517086711) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Shadow Country Trilogy #1 |
| Setting: | United States of America Florida(United States) |
| Literary Awards: | Ambassador Book Award for Fiction (1991) |
Peter Matthiessen
Hardcover | Pages: 384 pages Rating: 3.83 | 1523 Users | 162 Reviews
Commentary In Pursuance Of Books Killing Mister Watson (Shadow Country Trilogy #1)
"But the truth don't count for much after all these years, cause folks hang on to what it suits 'em to believe and won't let go of it." Killing Mr. Watson, p. 92 Historically, Edgar "Bloody" Watson did exist and he was really killed by a posse in the Islands along the west coast of Florida. Matthiessen provides the full story of the the life and times of Watson based on amazing oral history accounts by the people of the Florida Islands. Having conducted, transcribed and edited a lot of oral histories I was most impressed by the voices of his narrators. He not only tells the story of Watson but also provides a lesson in racism and class distinction. He had me happily fooled into almost believing every word. He also had me wanting to believe Watson over and over again in the face of ridiculous evidence. This was not an easy book for me to get into, but once hooked it was masterful.
Be Specific About Regarding Books Killing Mister Watson (Shadow Country Trilogy #1)
| Title | : | Killing Mister Watson (Shadow Country Trilogy #1) |
| Author | : | Peter Matthiessen |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 384 pages |
| Published | : | August 11th 1992 by Vintage (first published 1990) |
| Categories | : | Mystery. Crime. Fiction. Historical. Historical Fiction. Literary Fiction. Novels |
Rating Regarding Books Killing Mister Watson (Shadow Country Trilogy #1)
Ratings: 3.83 From 1523 Users | 162 ReviewsEvaluation Regarding Books Killing Mister Watson (Shadow Country Trilogy #1)
The Night Owls Book Club gave Killing Mr. Watson by Peter Matthiessen a 2-star rating. The group did not care for the book; many gave up on it and didnt finish. Those who did finish found it hard to read, and the main character was so despicable they had difficulty with the plot, even though it was based on an actual person and events. Many in the discussion group indicated that they did like the descriptions of rural Florida in the late 19th and 20th century. The Night Owls Book Club would notI loved the dialect in the book; it made the characters and setting come to life. Fortunately, I didn't care for Mr. Watson, so I wasn't upset about the killing of him. I appreciated all the historical facts and how they were separated from the fiction. A very interesting read for people into the history of Florida.
I'm currently reading this book for a college course. We were warned this would be a hard book before we got the assignment, but it is a requirement. First of all, I'm not sure why anyone would select a book this.. difficult? for required reading and assignments. At first I thought I just didn't like it because I was forced to read it for class. I struggled to get by the usage of slurs (used multiple times per page at times.) But it was so difficult to keep up with, with all the characters.
Absolutely brilliant. I must find the other two in the trilogy and complete it. Or, I'll have to find the single volume that Matthiessen wrote that retells the three books in one and for which he won a major award - National Book Award, I believe.This was a remarkable telling in multiple voices of a time in southern history just following the Civil War. Focusing on south Florida and a man named Mr. Watson who supposedly truly lived, Matthiessen creates a living "history" of a possible legend who
A very interesting book -- set in the "frontier/wilderness" area of south Florida around 1900, told from multiple viewpoints. Mr. Watson was an enigmatic figure -- farmer, family man, good neighbor, and probable killer. This is the first in a trilogy in which the author is teasing out the real story (and its meaning?) from legend. Story is told by revolving cast of neighbors and relatives, second book is from the viewpoint of a son, and third is told by Mr. Watson. Not sure if I'm up to the
Wonderful storytelling in an obscure corner of U.S. history, the Everglades area of Florida at the turn of the 20th century. It took me a while to get hooked, with the number of people involved leaving me disoriented; I almost feel like I should read it a second time. In the end, it's a tapestry of personal views on Mr. Watson, and the facets of an image begin to emerge.
Some writers write fiction, some non-fiction, and never the twain shall meet. Right? I dont think so. A good writer can write whatever they want. Perhaps the best example living today is Peter Matthiessen. Matthiessen started his writing career as a novelist, a spinner of tales, but he is perhaps best known for some of his non-fiction works, Wildlife in America (1959), Snow Leopard (1980), In the Spirit of Crazy Horse (1983). In the 1990s however, he returned to the novel and wrote what is known
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