Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner (1987)

Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner (1987)

A semi-autobiographical novel by a Pulitzer Prize winning author.

Laura’s Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Plot: In the 1930s, Larry and Sally Morgan move to Wisconsin for Larry’s job as a professor. Knowing no one, they are quickly taken under the wings of Sid and Charity Lang. What follows is a portrait of devoted friendship spanning decades.

Opinion: This book should be boring, but the writing is good enough that it (for the most part) wasn’t. The pace is slow, but in a leisurely and almost relaxing way. This would be great to read on vacation at a cabin. That being said, I do think the book could have been edited down a bit, especially in Part 2 of 3.

Crossing to Safety examines friendship and how it grows in depth and changes over time. Shared history, celebrations, struggles, and experiences shape each of the couples. Despite their individual flaws and their differences in circumstance, the Morgans and Langs maintain a meaningful relationship.

My takeaway is that it’s years of small moments and memories that make up relationships rather than big moments or specific events. Nostalgia and appreciation can only occur after years of interactions and experiences.

I didn’t love the last few chapters so I struggled to rate the book, but it was a different yet enjoyable reading experience for me. If you want a slow exploration of the bonds of friendship, check out Crossing to Safety.