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Peculiar Savage Beauty
"... gripping, atmospheric novel. McCann'sDust Bowl saga meshes a seminal event in American history with a suspenseful plot and insightfully etched characters." ~ Publishers Weekly
2018 Arizona Book of the Year
Peculiar Savage Beauty is the story of a headstrong and fiercely independent young woman who charges into the heart of the wind- and drought-ravaged Great Plains in the 1930s, intent on battling the dust and healing the land. As a geologist working for the U.S. government, Rosa Jean "RJ" Evans must find her place in a small farming town that welcomes neither a woman in authority nor changes to their way of life.
Inspired by actual historical events during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl environmental disaster, Peculiar Savage Beauty is a parable about man's quest to dominate the land and nature's refusal to be conquered, about unlikely alliances and unexpected love.
2018 Arizona Book of the Year
Peculiar Savage Beauty is the story of a headstrong and fiercely independent young woman who charges into the heart of the wind- and drought-ravaged Great Plains in the 1930s, intent on battling the dust and healing the land. As a geologist working for the U.S. government, Rosa Jean "RJ" Evans must find her place in a small farming town that welcomes neither a woman in authority nor changes to their way of life.
Inspired by actual historical events during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl environmental disaster, Peculiar Savage Beauty is a parable about man's quest to dominate the land and nature's refusal to be conquered, about unlikely alliances and unexpected love.
422 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
10 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
About the author
Jessica McCann
4 books210 followersReading and writing historical fiction is my passion, though I'm also drawn to memoirs, contemporary fiction, nonfiction, literary classics -- anything with a compelling story. I only review books I enjoyed reading, hence the abundance of 4- and 5-star ratings!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 18, 2022
1934. Rosa Jean graduates with Masters in Geology and secures a government position at Soil Erosion Department in Vanham, Kansas, where she is from. On her way there, she experiences her first duster. As the wind and dust rage, you can’t tell if it’s day or night.
As she continues her way, she sees what time did to the surrounding land as well as the effects of 1929 market crash, which plunged the wheat prices. It seemed like coordination, when rain stopped, too. Most fields failed to produce. Drought was part of the Great Plains, but the true reason, she learned in college, was the man controlling the land, instead of working in harmony with it.
Once, settled in Vanham, another storm comes. She is told, it’s a sandstorm this time. Then another duster comes, and another, and another.
There are other obstacles. She isn’t that welcomed as a woman in man’s field. When a hundred-pound bag of seed needs to be loaded on the track, she is told to help herself; a woman of petite size.
Afterwards, she learns why the men of this land are bitter about the auctions, and the one she took part in on behalf of government. She tries to make amends with explaining what needs to be done to avoid erosion. Convincing men who think they know their land is not an easy task.
With evocative writing, the story offers an interesting history lesson of the dust bowl and the struggle of the Great Plains, because of the land erosion, what failed and what needed to be done. It is a story of sad moments balanced with hope.
Inspired by actual historical events, it explores the relationship between a man and a land. What men did to land unknowingly and how it brutally affected them. It is also a story of a woman who is the first one at her university to graduate in Geology. Her hometown is not ready for an educated woman, which brings her journey to win them over in common goal.
P.S. Also, recommend by this author – All Different Kinds of Free
As she continues her way, she sees what time did to the surrounding land as well as the effects of 1929 market crash, which plunged the wheat prices. It seemed like coordination, when rain stopped, too. Most fields failed to produce. Drought was part of the Great Plains, but the true reason, she learned in college, was the man controlling the land, instead of working in harmony with it.
Once, settled in Vanham, another storm comes. She is told, it’s a sandstorm this time. Then another duster comes, and another, and another.
There are other obstacles. She isn’t that welcomed as a woman in man’s field. When a hundred-pound bag of seed needs to be loaded on the track, she is told to help herself; a woman of petite size.
Afterwards, she learns why the men of this land are bitter about the auctions, and the one she took part in on behalf of government. She tries to make amends with explaining what needs to be done to avoid erosion. Convincing men who think they know their land is not an easy task.
With evocative writing, the story offers an interesting history lesson of the dust bowl and the struggle of the Great Plains, because of the land erosion, what failed and what needed to be done. It is a story of sad moments balanced with hope.
Inspired by actual historical events, it explores the relationship between a man and a land. What men did to land unknowingly and how it brutally affected them. It is also a story of a woman who is the first one at her university to graduate in Geology. Her hometown is not ready for an educated woman, which brings her journey to win them over in common goal.
P.S. Also, recommend by this author – All Different Kinds of Free
August 8, 2022
”American meteorologists rated the Dust Bowl the number one weather event of the twentieth century. And as they go over the scars of the land, historians say it was the nation's worst prolonged environmental disaster.”
Timothy Egan - The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
It’s May of 1934 when RJ Evans leaves Wisconsin, departs UW after six long years of study ending with graduation. In leaving, she’s taking her crates of test tubes and beakers, droppers and “magic potions,” her Corona typewriter, all of her important papers, including the letter from Washington, DC saying that she’d been accepted into the Soil Erosion Service and to get herself to Vanham, Kansas, where she is to set up and run a “Department of the Interior soil erosion experiment station”.
Vanham, Kansas was the town where RJ was from originally, at least until she was sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle. She carries on her the silver pocket watch that had belonged to her father. It was delivered when she was eight, accompanied by the news that both her parents had succumbed to the flu, and were gone. Buried there in Vanham, although the dust storms had taken so much of the ground away, there was no telling how long they would remain buried there. To return there now brought up mixed emotions, the sadness of leaving, the memories, but also the wonderful anticipation of her new, exciting and important position.
She knows, of course, that the news of a woman in a job like this will be controversial, but she believes she is equal to the challenge. Maybe a little more than equal to it.
And as she drives, she notices that it’s suddenly getting darker, but it’s mid-afternoon, so she stops and gets out, thinking it’s a storm in the distance, and then she realizes - it’s a duster. She quickly manages to find less than perfect shelter, under her Model AA Ford, and in the process acquires a dog, whose name becomes Stormy, ala ‘Stormy Weather,’ a popular song.
”Everything had changed in 1929, RJ’s second year in college. The stock market crashed. Wheat prices plunged. The rain all but stopped. RJ had studied it all in school, read the news in the papers, and heard her professors’ conjecture as the world seemed to be crumbling around them.”
”RJ scanned the barren landscape, shook her head and sighed. Reading about it was one thing. Seeing it with her own two eyes, that was something else altogether. So much of that land lay bare now, exposed, waiting for the next wind to lift and carry it far away.”
In Vanham, her attempts to inspire the farming community’s faith in her or the government’s recommendations fall on deaf ears, she’s alternately ignored or jeered for being a woman in a man’s job. There is no welcome committee for her among the farmers, or most of the community, but she is befriended by the woman who runs the diner, Ethel, and also by Woody, a young man who in today’s world would be recognized as an autistic savant, but in 1934, he is viewed in less kindly terms.
I loved this story, I loved how beautifully it flowed from the first pages, and I fell deep into this story and wanted to stay within those pages. I loved Ethel and Woody and RJ, and the feeling that I was there with them, able to envision everything, feeling every emotion from fear to desperation, acceptance, and love. I loved the inclusion of words one rarely hears anymore. I loved the way this story slowly evolved, as some people little by little begin to believe there might be something to what RJ has to say.
The sense of atmosphere in this is breathtaking, as horrifying as it is heartbreaking, Nature swallows up so much and leaves so little for these people to survive on, destroying property and lives, taking more and more from these people who started with so little. The devastation of having to leave a home you’ve worked so hard to create in order to save your own lives.
And yet, while there are sad moments, this is not, overall, an overly sad story, there is lightness to balance the darkness. There is Woody, who alone brings such a sweetness to this story through his views, his art of finding the beauty in what remains after the storms.
”The more the picture was revealed on the glass, the more sunlight seeped into the room, setting alight the dust particles floating upon the air. Before too long, the whole room sparkled in golden morning light.”
Inspired by actual historical events, this is a timely novel about the danger of abusing our planet, with convincing, authentic characters who lived through one of the worst disasters eras in America’s history, and yet still manage to find beauty in life, and to keep hope and love alive.
Unputdownable. Unforgettable.
*May require tissues
Recommended
Pub Date: 17 APR 2018
Many thanks for the ARC provided
November 4, 2017
In this story set during America’s Dust Bowl, you are bound to fall in love with RJ, Woody, Ethel and Stormy. And you will be in for a front-row viewing of the horrors of the Dust Bowl. Your skin will sting with torrents of dust, your eyes will burn, your heart will race. And, yes, you will feel for the jackrabbits escaping the biting dirt, and the birds falling from the sky.
You will very likely tear up, as well. The author’s portrayal of autistic character, Woody, is probably the best I’ve ever read: subtle, realistic, believable, and yes – endearing. You will cheer for this character, who, like RJ, is up against incredible odds in this small Kansas town during this difficult period of U.S. history in 1930s.
McCann exhibits mastery of the gentle immersion of historical facts into the narrative without it feeling like a history lesson. You’ll be introduced to the actual American historical figure, Aldo Leopold, an American ecologist, forester, conservationist, and environmentalist, who serves as RJ’s professor. The author weaves some of his incredible sentiments, scientific beliefs, and real-life commentary about the earth into this book. So many of his comments as a character in the book (drawn, I believe, from history) are highlight-worthy, if not frighteningly timely given our own ecological/global warming trends.
And I’d be remiss if not to share from the book one of his quotes:
“Civilization is not a state of domination over a stable and constant earth, he had asserted in his unassuming, yet powerful, way. “It is a state of mutual and interdependent cooperation between human animals, other animals, plants and soils, which may be disrupted at any time by the failure of any of them,” RJ quoted him.”
In this book, written with precision and lovely language, you’ll learn about family, struggle, forgiveness, misogyny, nature, community – and, most of all, the power of love.
I had the distinct privilege of reading this novel, McCann’s sophomore book, in its early stages and again, recently (also loved her award-winning All Different Kinds of Free).
Once, again, she pits vivid characters with high emotional stakes against seemingly insurmountable odds in historical settings. If you love strong female protagonists who buck the system, the earth itself, and learning about the mistakes of man in his environment (and if you love dogs!), this historical novel is for you. Looking forward to this author’s next novel!
You will very likely tear up, as well. The author’s portrayal of autistic character, Woody, is probably the best I’ve ever read: subtle, realistic, believable, and yes – endearing. You will cheer for this character, who, like RJ, is up against incredible odds in this small Kansas town during this difficult period of U.S. history in 1930s.
McCann exhibits mastery of the gentle immersion of historical facts into the narrative without it feeling like a history lesson. You’ll be introduced to the actual American historical figure, Aldo Leopold, an American ecologist, forester, conservationist, and environmentalist, who serves as RJ’s professor. The author weaves some of his incredible sentiments, scientific beliefs, and real-life commentary about the earth into this book. So many of his comments as a character in the book (drawn, I believe, from history) are highlight-worthy, if not frighteningly timely given our own ecological/global warming trends.
And I’d be remiss if not to share from the book one of his quotes:
“Civilization is not a state of domination over a stable and constant earth, he had asserted in his unassuming, yet powerful, way. “It is a state of mutual and interdependent cooperation between human animals, other animals, plants and soils, which may be disrupted at any time by the failure of any of them,” RJ quoted him.”
In this book, written with precision and lovely language, you’ll learn about family, struggle, forgiveness, misogyny, nature, community – and, most of all, the power of love.
I had the distinct privilege of reading this novel, McCann’s sophomore book, in its early stages and again, recently (also loved her award-winning All Different Kinds of Free).
Once, again, she pits vivid characters with high emotional stakes against seemingly insurmountable odds in historical settings. If you love strong female protagonists who buck the system, the earth itself, and learning about the mistakes of man in his environment (and if you love dogs!), this historical novel is for you. Looking forward to this author’s next novel!
January 4, 2023
Despite the many hardships of the Dust Bowl years, this is a story of perseverance and hope. From the first words, I was absorbed by the writing and the characters. The author vividly describes what it was like to live during this time - the endless dust, the continued failed crops, the sheer destruction of the dust storms. And still, the farmers kept on, hoping and praying for rain and that the following crop year would be better. A very enjoyable read and one that will stay with me for a while.
January 26, 2018
I received this via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.
----
Writing: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
----
What I liked/loved:
The way the author set the scene and created the atmosphere.
The characters felt very real. You feel the pain of their struggle to not give up and find some reason to hope where the very landscape seems to be deadset against them.
Woody and Ethel were my favorite out of the townspeople.
What I didn't like:
Harvey... at first he was okay but his attitude toward RJ got on my nerves
When a certain someone left for greener pastures, I cheered.
The ending part felt a bit rushed but fit the story overall.
----
Writing: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3.5 stars
Characters: 3.5 stars
----
What I liked/loved:
The way the author set the scene and created the atmosphere.
The characters felt very real. You feel the pain of their struggle to not give up and find some reason to hope where the very landscape seems to be deadset against them.
Woody and Ethel were my favorite out of the townspeople.
What I didn't like:
Harvey... at first he was okay but his attitude toward RJ got on my nerves
When a certain someone left for greener pastures, I cheered.
The ending part felt a bit rushed but fit the story overall.
April 17, 2018
Thoughtful people these days turn their attention to climate change, to the many damaging ways human beings abuse the environment and discover too late that they’ve created a world they cannot survive in. McCann’s haunting and heartwarming Peculiar Savage Beauty takes place in the years when the Plains states are overwhelmed by dust storms and agricultural disaster brought on by overworked soil and drought—a localized climate change that so vividly foreshadows our contemporary crisis. McCann’s evocative title is taken from Cather’s O Pioneers! “…the land wanted to be let alone, to preserve its own fierce strength, it peculiar, savage kind of beauty…” And that is one of the major themes of this deeply affecting novel—the necessity of letting the land heal and of implementing policies and techniques that allow that process to happen. But that’s a rather dry-sounding book theme. And yet, this novel is not the least bit prosaic.
Set in Kansas in 1934, the novel draws us into the life of RJ Evans, a young woman trained as a geologist and hired by the US Soil Conservation Service to run a research lab in the small town of Vanham. RJ’s history with Vanham already weighs on her psyche—and there will be plenty for her to work through as the tale enfolds. Her childhood there was snatched from her during a flu epidemic when she was removed for her safety and never saw her parents again, alive or dead. She has recurring visions of them being buried alive—not so surprising and thematically brilliant in a novel about storms that choke and bury with dust.
RJ has grown up as best she can and found a passion for her work, but Vanham is not ready for a female scientist. And RJ is not ready for the horrors of dust storms and devastation that blight the town. The headstrong woman butts heads with the town’s citizens. For a long stretch she has only one friend, an autistic young man named Woody—and it takes her a long time to figure out what a good friend he is.
The human dynamics are as stormy as the weather, but far more enjoyable—don’t look for clichés or conventional romance here. This book offers far more. The themes of love and friendship, family and trust all get subtle and sophisticated development.
The novel’s intense and rich language throws the reader into this time and place, while enriching its emotional drive. Nature lurks as a vivid character in the tale, and Nature is not the least bit pleased. If you have been living in a fuzzy state of denial about what happens when human beings throw Nature off kilter, this novel is an amazing cure for that—but you’ll be entertained and engaged through the whole cure. RJ experiences the first duster while on the road, alone. That’s a very precarious way to face an elemental superpower. “A steady, deafening rumble in the distance put to shame the worst thunder RJ had ever heard. She squinted at the horizon, at the approaching mountain of dust. Millions of fine dirt particles hurtled across the landscape in a frenetic rush, picking up still more granules that bounced off one another in a chaotic whirl. This created an electrical charge in the air that made RJ’s scalp tingle and the fine hairs on her arms stand at attention.” That’s dramatic description that pulls you in. And once you get there, you’ll find endearing if complicated characters to get to know, and you’ll be hooked. I highly recommend this trip back to Kansas.
Set in Kansas in 1934, the novel draws us into the life of RJ Evans, a young woman trained as a geologist and hired by the US Soil Conservation Service to run a research lab in the small town of Vanham. RJ’s history with Vanham already weighs on her psyche—and there will be plenty for her to work through as the tale enfolds. Her childhood there was snatched from her during a flu epidemic when she was removed for her safety and never saw her parents again, alive or dead. She has recurring visions of them being buried alive—not so surprising and thematically brilliant in a novel about storms that choke and bury with dust.
RJ has grown up as best she can and found a passion for her work, but Vanham is not ready for a female scientist. And RJ is not ready for the horrors of dust storms and devastation that blight the town. The headstrong woman butts heads with the town’s citizens. For a long stretch she has only one friend, an autistic young man named Woody—and it takes her a long time to figure out what a good friend he is.
The human dynamics are as stormy as the weather, but far more enjoyable—don’t look for clichés or conventional romance here. This book offers far more. The themes of love and friendship, family and trust all get subtle and sophisticated development.
The novel’s intense and rich language throws the reader into this time and place, while enriching its emotional drive. Nature lurks as a vivid character in the tale, and Nature is not the least bit pleased. If you have been living in a fuzzy state of denial about what happens when human beings throw Nature off kilter, this novel is an amazing cure for that—but you’ll be entertained and engaged through the whole cure. RJ experiences the first duster while on the road, alone. That’s a very precarious way to face an elemental superpower. “A steady, deafening rumble in the distance put to shame the worst thunder RJ had ever heard. She squinted at the horizon, at the approaching mountain of dust. Millions of fine dirt particles hurtled across the landscape in a frenetic rush, picking up still more granules that bounced off one another in a chaotic whirl. This created an electrical charge in the air that made RJ’s scalp tingle and the fine hairs on her arms stand at attention.” That’s dramatic description that pulls you in. And once you get there, you’ll find endearing if complicated characters to get to know, and you’ll be hooked. I highly recommend this trip back to Kansas.
January 18, 2019
If I don't rate this as amazing, who will? I'm so excited to share this book with the world, and I'm looking forward to reading everyone's feedback in the reviews.
February 3, 2018
What an intriguing title! Novels with eye-catching titles often fall flat in the reading. Not so with Peculiar Savage Beauty. Curious about the title, I dove in and McCann’s beautifully descriptive prose swept me away. Here is an outstanding historical novelist with a flair for storytelling and a soul for creating endearing yet complex characters. McCann’s first novel, All Different Kinds of Free debuted her talent. Her second novel confirms it.
Timely in its concept, the book tells the story of industrious RJ Evans, a woman who must push social boundaries to effect positive change in the drought-ravaged Great Plains of the 1930’s. Sent by the US government to a small town in the Dust Bowl, RJ is tasked with overcoming gender prejudice and educating people set in their ways. Along the way we meet:
• RJ, indefatigable and lonely.
• Woody, smarter than most, underestimated by many.
• Ethel, wise and warm-hearted.
• Stormy, the dog nobody wanted.
The novel juxtaposes nature’s ravages with friendship’s bond and human resilience. Stunning in its execution, the book captivates the reader, delving into these perplex and pertinent questions:
• If we can’t make it rain or stop the wind, what can we do to tame erosion and bring the land back to life?
• How did the unforgiving climate affect people’s everyday lives, the food they ate, and their children’s schooling?
• How did people make a living when paid jobs were practically non-existent?
• How did the unrelenting dust storms affect the flora and fauna of the region?
• How did the US government train and aid farmers who were victims not only of the drought, but also of the Great Depression?
• Can we dominate environmental disasters or do they conquer us?
• How were autistic people treated in a time before we understood their challenges?
• What causes us to realize we need others to thrive?
Erosion nearly smothered Kansas in the 1930’s, but the characters in this book breathe life into each other. Peculiar Savage Beauty is full of gumption, poignancy, and historical punch. Highly recommended.
I thank the author and Perspective Books for the advance copy.
Timely in its concept, the book tells the story of industrious RJ Evans, a woman who must push social boundaries to effect positive change in the drought-ravaged Great Plains of the 1930’s. Sent by the US government to a small town in the Dust Bowl, RJ is tasked with overcoming gender prejudice and educating people set in their ways. Along the way we meet:
• RJ, indefatigable and lonely.
• Woody, smarter than most, underestimated by many.
• Ethel, wise and warm-hearted.
• Stormy, the dog nobody wanted.
The novel juxtaposes nature’s ravages with friendship’s bond and human resilience. Stunning in its execution, the book captivates the reader, delving into these perplex and pertinent questions:
• If we can’t make it rain or stop the wind, what can we do to tame erosion and bring the land back to life?
• How did the unforgiving climate affect people’s everyday lives, the food they ate, and their children’s schooling?
• How did people make a living when paid jobs were practically non-existent?
• How did the unrelenting dust storms affect the flora and fauna of the region?
• How did the US government train and aid farmers who were victims not only of the drought, but also of the Great Depression?
• Can we dominate environmental disasters or do they conquer us?
• How were autistic people treated in a time before we understood their challenges?
• What causes us to realize we need others to thrive?
Erosion nearly smothered Kansas in the 1930’s, but the characters in this book breathe life into each other. Peculiar Savage Beauty is full of gumption, poignancy, and historical punch. Highly recommended.
I thank the author and Perspective Books for the advance copy.
February 17, 2018
Peculiar Savage Beauty is an interesting, skillfully-written story about fearlessness, prejudices, tenacity and healing. The dust-bowl years produced dark and devastating conditions. Drought and over-plowing turn the land into a harsh, unrelenting, and unforgiving enemy. "Black blizzards" blot out life. Only the tough remain.
Jessica McCann tells a true and fully-researched tale located in small town Kansas about young RJ Evans's undertaking and desire to heal the land and educate the people. Sprinkle in courage and a portion of love, and the characters come alive and the reader struggles, fights and strives along with them.
A beautiful tale about determination and finding acceptance in a community that doesn't welcome Evans's authority, nor the changes she proposes to their way of life.
This book was inspired by actual historical events during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl environmental disaster.
I found it thoroughly enjoyable!
Jessica McCann tells a true and fully-researched tale located in small town Kansas about young RJ Evans's undertaking and desire to heal the land and educate the people. Sprinkle in courage and a portion of love, and the characters come alive and the reader struggles, fights and strives along with them.
A beautiful tale about determination and finding acceptance in a community that doesn't welcome Evans's authority, nor the changes she proposes to their way of life.
This book was inspired by actual historical events during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl environmental disaster.
I found it thoroughly enjoyable!
December 12, 2017
I expected that “A Peculiar Savage Beauty” would give me a deeper understanding of the Great Depression and the dust bowl years, though I wondered how it could include the word “beauty” in the title. As the story developed, I realized that the beauty was in in the friendships that developed. As the dust of those years built layers on every surface, layers of friendships clung to every part of this story. The characters resonated with me. As life became more difficult and severe, the friendships and the community became stronger. The author carefully and skillfully layered the personality of Woody, developing an understanding for those who see the world through a different viewpoint. He is a character that will linger in my mind. Perhaps the insight into Woody’s thinking, his understanding of situations, will help readers to look beyond the surface of personalities that seem odd. The beauty woven into this story of friendships was powerful and sweet. A rich story about a poor time in history. The trauma of the dust storms and depression years were secondary to the rich levels of friendship and support of friends that made the story what it is. Perfect ending, and quite the surprise.Well done Jessica McCann, write on.
The publisher provided this book, no review required.
The publisher provided this book, no review required.
May 17, 2018
As a voracious reader of historical works who occasionally dips into quality fiction, Jessica McCann's Peculiar Savage Beauty provided me value on both fronts.
This intensely well-researched novel puts the reader in the middle of the Depression-era Dust Bowl in a new (and I believe more historically accurate) way not seen in fiction before (and yes, I know some great literary works center on this era in our history). As only a fine novelist can, McCann makes us not just understand what the topsoil-depleted Plains were like at this time, but we see it, feel it, hear it, smell it, and even (yes, this is true) taste it. It was eye-opening (although you had better not open your eyes in one of those dust storms, instead make sure you've got your goggles on you).
But of course I could read a creative nonfiction book to capture that world. McCann then folds in a number of compelling characters in a moving plot. Her minor characters sing (a diner owner, a stubborn farmer and his family initially resistant to the protagonist), but the three main characters are ones you won't soon forget. The novel's heroine, RJ Evans, is a pioneering scientist and governmental researcher at a time when this was hardly common (or even permissible as I learned), and yet RJ is not just an archetype for feminism; she is a fully realized and complex character. (By the way, calling her a "heroine" reminds me that we still have gender problems in our language; she's the hero of the book so let's use that term.)
There are two key men in the story. I won't say more on this out of a concern for spoilers, but let me say that one of those two was one of the most compelling characters I have met in a novel in years. It is clear McCann has an understanding of the nuances of individuals on the autism spectrum. This individual is fascinating, compelling, lovable, hilarious, and inspiring. His developing relationship with our hero, RJ Evans, is powerful because it is normal and entirely believable. At some point in our history readers won't be shocked and pleased when someone like this character is portrayed in fiction as he is, a person of value in his own right, but for now it is refreshing and masterfully well done.
I've read and enjoyed both of McCann's novels. Her first one, All Different Kinds of Free, is also an amazing novel, full of excitement, harrowing escapes, and horrifying tragedy. Peculiar Savage Beauty is a softer journey, but still one with danger, heartbreak, and triumph. It is a highly enjoyable read.
This intensely well-researched novel puts the reader in the middle of the Depression-era Dust Bowl in a new (and I believe more historically accurate) way not seen in fiction before (and yes, I know some great literary works center on this era in our history). As only a fine novelist can, McCann makes us not just understand what the topsoil-depleted Plains were like at this time, but we see it, feel it, hear it, smell it, and even (yes, this is true) taste it. It was eye-opening (although you had better not open your eyes in one of those dust storms, instead make sure you've got your goggles on you).
But of course I could read a creative nonfiction book to capture that world. McCann then folds in a number of compelling characters in a moving plot. Her minor characters sing (a diner owner, a stubborn farmer and his family initially resistant to the protagonist), but the three main characters are ones you won't soon forget. The novel's heroine, RJ Evans, is a pioneering scientist and governmental researcher at a time when this was hardly common (or even permissible as I learned), and yet RJ is not just an archetype for feminism; she is a fully realized and complex character. (By the way, calling her a "heroine" reminds me that we still have gender problems in our language; she's the hero of the book so let's use that term.)
There are two key men in the story. I won't say more on this out of a concern for spoilers, but let me say that one of those two was one of the most compelling characters I have met in a novel in years. It is clear McCann has an understanding of the nuances of individuals on the autism spectrum. This individual is fascinating, compelling, lovable, hilarious, and inspiring. His developing relationship with our hero, RJ Evans, is powerful because it is normal and entirely believable. At some point in our history readers won't be shocked and pleased when someone like this character is portrayed in fiction as he is, a person of value in his own right, but for now it is refreshing and masterfully well done.
I've read and enjoyed both of McCann's novels. Her first one, All Different Kinds of Free, is also an amazing novel, full of excitement, harrowing escapes, and horrifying tragedy. Peculiar Savage Beauty is a softer journey, but still one with danger, heartbreak, and triumph. It is a highly enjoyable read.
June 27, 2019
A fantastic historical novel set in the Dust Bowl era. The characters were so well developed and the descriptions were so realistic, I almost forgot I was listening to a book.
The writing by Jessica McCann and narration by Rebecca Roberts were so well done. I really enjoyed this book.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
The writing by Jessica McCann and narration by Rebecca Roberts were so well done. I really enjoyed this book.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and I have voluntarily left this review.
July 9, 2020
Rubery Book Award shortlisted 2020
An interesting foray into Steinbeck territory from a female perspective. RJ is a soil erosion specialist who sets up a government funded laboratory in Oklahoma during the early thirties. Her struggle to establish herself in the rural community, who find it hard to accept a woman with a Geology degree, is outweighed only by her fight against nature and the dust storms that blight the region. The central character is convincing, as are the scientific details, and the vivid account of the brutal environment. RJ's relationship with Woody, her autistic handyman, is well handled. Both are outsiders, misunderstood characters. In this way, since, as 21st century readers, we know more about feminism and autism, dramatic irony plays an interesting part. A fast-paced, satisfying novel.
www.ruberybookaward.com
An interesting foray into Steinbeck territory from a female perspective. RJ is a soil erosion specialist who sets up a government funded laboratory in Oklahoma during the early thirties. Her struggle to establish herself in the rural community, who find it hard to accept a woman with a Geology degree, is outweighed only by her fight against nature and the dust storms that blight the region. The central character is convincing, as are the scientific details, and the vivid account of the brutal environment. RJ's relationship with Woody, her autistic handyman, is well handled. Both are outsiders, misunderstood characters. In this way, since, as 21st century readers, we know more about feminism and autism, dramatic irony plays an interesting part. A fast-paced, satisfying novel.
www.ruberybookaward.com
July 10, 2018
This book was so engaging, what a turn of events! Really enjoyed the main character, RJ, her work ethic, her belief that she could make a difference... such a strong female role. LOVED her.
I enjoy historical fiction, and the author does such a great job combining the historical facts with the fictional characters - really enjoyed it.
I enjoy historical fiction, and the author does such a great job combining the historical facts with the fictional characters - really enjoyed it.
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July 4, 2019Wow!
This story was absolutely brilliant. I have gone and purchased Jessica’s other novel.
I was totally hooked from the very first chapter or so. RJ and Stormy had me not wanting to put the book down.
The story was also very educational. I learned a lot about what people were going through during the depression and with all the dust storms etc.
It was also very inspirational. I can’t imagine people living through everything, those people in the novel went through and still some of them fought on.
RJ had spirit and pluck, but also was moved to great compassion. I totally loved her character and was totally invested in wanting to know what was going to happen to her.
I also loved Woody of course. I totally agree with RJ. He was Brilliant and funny in a wonderful kind of way. I have many dear friends and family on the autism spectrum and i thought he was very well portrayed.
The story was also very sad, and moving in places, with a few lovely surprises i didn’t see coming.
I would highly recommend this book.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This story was absolutely brilliant. I have gone and purchased Jessica’s other novel.
I was totally hooked from the very first chapter or so. RJ and Stormy had me not wanting to put the book down.
The story was also very educational. I learned a lot about what people were going through during the depression and with all the dust storms etc.
It was also very inspirational. I can’t imagine people living through everything, those people in the novel went through and still some of them fought on.
RJ had spirit and pluck, but also was moved to great compassion. I totally loved her character and was totally invested in wanting to know what was going to happen to her.
I also loved Woody of course. I totally agree with RJ. He was Brilliant and funny in a wonderful kind of way. I have many dear friends and family on the autism spectrum and i thought he was very well portrayed.
The story was also very sad, and moving in places, with a few lovely surprises i didn’t see coming.
I would highly recommend this book.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
January 19, 2021
Rosa Jean Evans is a compelling main character from the start of this book. We meet her in a flashback that shows her as a child grieving the loss of her parents to the Spanish Flu. In the next chapter, she's saying goodbye to the aunt who raised her and leaving college, setting out for her first job, that of geologist in a tiny town in the heart of the Dust Bowl.
There, she battles the elements, sexism, and the natural suspicion of small town folk who don't appreciate having a government rep come in and tell them how to farm. As RJ develops relationships and works on soil conservation experiments, we see what it was like to live in that environment. So interesting! For example, the dust storms generated so much static electricity you could be electrocuted sitting in your car. This book was so compelling I read half of it the first night, but had to force myself to slow down. The ending is surprising but lovely.
There, she battles the elements, sexism, and the natural suspicion of small town folk who don't appreciate having a government rep come in and tell them how to farm. As RJ develops relationships and works on soil conservation experiments, we see what it was like to live in that environment. So interesting! For example, the dust storms generated so much static electricity you could be electrocuted sitting in your car. This book was so compelling I read half of it the first night, but had to force myself to slow down. The ending is surprising but lovely.
September 18, 2018
I liked this book a lot. The story was well written and the author did such a good job of creating a visual picture of what life would have been like living in the dust bowl during the depression. I could really see the scene in my mind and felt what it would have been like to be there with them. I enjoyed the characters although the love interest with Harvey never quite fit for me, I just didn't care for him and couldn't really see them being a match. I thought the reactions of the townspeople to RJ felt very realistic and added a depth to the story. It was a bit slow here and there and the relentless dust storms began to wear me down along with the characters, but maybe that was the point. The ending seemed a little too rushed compared to the slower pace of the rest of the book, but Overall this was a really good story.
July 2, 2019
Did you know there is such a thing as dust pneumonia? Did you know that a cow left out during a severe dust storm can die because it's insides are full of mud?
This audio book was incredible! The historical fiction takes you back to the time of the Dust Bowl in the 1930's. Peculiar Savage Beauty is not only entertaining, it is educational, emotional and transports you back in time to feel as though you are witnessing the hardships of these resilient people first hand. These people suffered through so much anguish and despair, to say nothing of the actual physical horrific conditions...and we whine when the cable goes out for a couple of hours!
McCann not only takes the reader back to experience the Dust Bowl, but she has produced beautifully developed characters that help to tell a story that won't soon be forgotten. The writing by McCann and the performance of the book by Rebecca Roberts were both exceptional! Bravo!!!
This audio book was incredible! The historical fiction takes you back to the time of the Dust Bowl in the 1930's. Peculiar Savage Beauty is not only entertaining, it is educational, emotional and transports you back in time to feel as though you are witnessing the hardships of these resilient people first hand. These people suffered through so much anguish and despair, to say nothing of the actual physical horrific conditions...and we whine when the cable goes out for a couple of hours!
McCann not only takes the reader back to experience the Dust Bowl, but she has produced beautifully developed characters that help to tell a story that won't soon be forgotten. The writing by McCann and the performance of the book by Rebecca Roberts were both exceptional! Bravo!!!
May 14, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. The title Peculiar Savage Beauty is a line from Willa Cather in O Pioneers! and it perfectly fits this book. Jessica McCann wrote an engaging read that takes place during 1934-1935 in a soon-to-be-forgotten Kansas city. RJ Evans, the main character, a newly minted geologist and scientist returns to her roots to conduct soil analysis for the government. The reader is transported to the era through a relatable modern character, and the strong-willed people she encounters. There are other subtle themes of feminism, autism, environmental damage from human policies. It was a fast read and one I will recommend to others. I loved McCann's first book, All Different Kinds of Free. Peculiar Savage Beauty is just as good, if not better.
January 24, 2018
McCAnn delivers another beautifully, stunning piece of work. She surprises and gives us the unexpected. Her descriptions are mesmerizing, she take us places we’ve never been, such as the Dust Bowl, where I could almost feel the dry gritty dirt of the Midwest.
I like that she had a plot diverging from the norm in historical fiction. It’s a winner.
As the mother of an autistic child, I not only loved McCann’s characters, but I also admire how she created Woody, a young autistic man. She portrays him with caring wisdom. She realizes that even autistic people can be humorous and understand humor, that they desire and need love and receive it in their own way.
I was sad in parting with these magnificent characters, and this beautifully told story... till the next novel.
I like that she had a plot diverging from the norm in historical fiction. It’s a winner.
As the mother of an autistic child, I not only loved McCann’s characters, but I also admire how she created Woody, a young autistic man. She portrays him with caring wisdom. She realizes that even autistic people can be humorous and understand humor, that they desire and need love and receive it in their own way.
I was sad in parting with these magnificent characters, and this beautifully told story... till the next novel.
April 21, 2019
Thanks to the author I won a free Audible copy of this book. There were a number of things I loved about this story, including the history of the Dust Bowl and the troubles faced by the farmers and their families on the Great Plains. The main character is a woman breaking into the field of soil conservation biology in the 1930s, and I love how passionate she is about her job and her courage in the face of social norms that confined women to the roles of wife and mother. Also, there is a character in this story on the autism spectrum, which I believe is beautifully portrayed.
March 15, 2022
This was a great audible read. The narrator did a beautiful job and the storyline was wonderful. I will most likely try to pick up a few more books on this topic. The Dust Bowl is something I did not know a lot about and this book gave such a down to earth feeling of how a small town lived it, breathed it and barely survived. I loved it all, the German dog, Woody and RJ.
I was most surprised this book was so much more than I had expected. High 5 stars.
I was most surprised this book was so much more than I had expected. High 5 stars.
April 13, 2024
I really enjoyed this dust bowl tale, mainly because the protagonist and her friend Woody are so endearing.
December 3, 2017
A well presented story about the things that affected peoples everyday lives trying to survive in a very difficult, harsh and brutal time. Bringing to light the little things that we all take for granted. Enjoyed how 50 years later, Woody's art was incorporated into the story.
May 19, 2018
This an absorbing, character-driven historical novel set in Kansas during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. After graduating with a Masters degree, RJ returns to her hometown, a small farming community, as a geologist working for FDR's soil conservation program. There she faces resistance from local farmers distrustful of the government, a woman working for the government, and the conservation techniques RJ proposes. As RJ settles into the community, she makes friends with the female owner of the local diner, hires a local man with a disability as her assistant to the chagrin of the farmers, and becomes romantically involved with one of the farmers. The hostility towards her slowly decreases as she wins over some of the farmers and a handful begin to implement the changes she recommends. I loved the ending - the choice that RJ makes and the path her life takes as a result of it.
The book offers fascinating insights into what it was like for farmers during that time, the fear the dust storms created, the constant dust in homes, the toll on the health of people and livestock, many of whom died from dust pneumonia or were literally asphyxiated if caught in a storm, and the emotional toll on farmers who struggled year after year, unable to earn a living or put food on the table. An exceptional read, highly recommended.
The book offers fascinating insights into what it was like for farmers during that time, the fear the dust storms created, the constant dust in homes, the toll on the health of people and livestock, many of whom died from dust pneumonia or were literally asphyxiated if caught in a storm, and the emotional toll on farmers who struggled year after year, unable to earn a living or put food on the table. An exceptional read, highly recommended.
November 1, 2019
Peculiar Savage Beauty by Jessica McCann
Narrated by Rebecca Roberts
July 9, 2019
5 stars
This was an incredible audiobook about the Dust Bowl era. As a gardener, I can appreciate the in depth storyline of how this scientist seeked to restore her beloved home. I loved the romance in the story, but this historical goes beyond the romance and into the depth of the heartache and despair of this terrible time. I haven’t read or listened to any other books about this sad period of devastation, but this seemed genuine and historically accurate. I loved the inclusion of the remarkable character Woody and how Jessica portrays his Autism in a positive light despite showing how the common public saw him as slow or dimwitted.
The narration was beautiful! I was really pulled in by Rebecca’s cadence and variety of character voices. There were a few spots where two people were talking back and forth and she was out of character just a bit, but she did an incredible job!
It’s a very long book and it’s definitely worth your attention and time to read or listen! If you love learning as well as being entertained I hope you’ll get your hands on this book!
While I do feel this book is clean, there is one section where, after they are engaged, they get a bit too involved. Their clothes are on, but this whole scene could have been sweeter in my opinion instead of so lustful
Narrated by Rebecca Roberts
July 9, 2019
5 stars
This was an incredible audiobook about the Dust Bowl era. As a gardener, I can appreciate the in depth storyline of how this scientist seeked to restore her beloved home. I loved the romance in the story, but this historical goes beyond the romance and into the depth of the heartache and despair of this terrible time. I haven’t read or listened to any other books about this sad period of devastation, but this seemed genuine and historically accurate. I loved the inclusion of the remarkable character Woody and how Jessica portrays his Autism in a positive light despite showing how the common public saw him as slow or dimwitted.
The narration was beautiful! I was really pulled in by Rebecca’s cadence and variety of character voices. There were a few spots where two people were talking back and forth and she was out of character just a bit, but she did an incredible job!
It’s a very long book and it’s definitely worth your attention and time to read or listen! If you love learning as well as being entertained I hope you’ll get your hands on this book!
While I do feel this book is clean, there is one section where, after they are engaged, they get a bit too involved. Their clothes are on, but this whole scene could have been sweeter in my opinion instead of so lustful
May 9, 2019
Dear Potential Reader:
Read this. You will love it. You will wish you had written it, as I sincerely do! The setting is a world my grandparents told stories about but, as a self-absorbed teenager at the time, I never bothered to pay much attention. How I regret that now! And funnily enough, I found myself wishing I could join in their struggles. When a whole town saves and skimps so they can come together for a potluck once a month, count me in!
Every character is fully fleshed out, but Woody will stay in my heart for a long time. And Ethel. I won't tell you why, just go find out for yourself. Oh, and the cemetery scene!!!!!
Just go read this. You're welcome.
Read this. You will love it. You will wish you had written it, as I sincerely do! The setting is a world my grandparents told stories about but, as a self-absorbed teenager at the time, I never bothered to pay much attention. How I regret that now! And funnily enough, I found myself wishing I could join in their struggles. When a whole town saves and skimps so they can come together for a potluck once a month, count me in!
Every character is fully fleshed out, but Woody will stay in my heart for a long time. And Ethel. I won't tell you why, just go find out for yourself. Oh, and the cemetery scene!!!!!
Just go read this. You're welcome.
December 30, 2017
Review on publication.
October 19, 2020
Oddly enough, I ended up reading 2 novels set in Kansas during the 1930's back to back. I loved this one, too! This one tells the story of a young woman who returns to Vanham, KS after she graduates from college with a degree in agriculture to set up a soil conservation station there. The year is 1934. Rosa Jean, or RJ as she chooses to be called, had been born in Vanham but had to leave at the age of 8 when her parents died in the flu epidemic. She had lived with her aunt and uncle in Madison, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin. When she obtains a job with the Department of Agriculture immediately after graduation, she chooses Vanham as the location to set up a soil conservation system.
Her first problem starts when she arrives and the people in Vanham find out that RJ is a woman. She meets a lot of opposition to teaching soil conservation techniques to the farmers not only because she's a woman but because they are resistant to government interference. She develops a relationship with two men, Harvey Clay, a local farmer, and Woody, a young man who is socially inept but brilliant. Today he would be considered to have an autism spectrum disorder. However, he becomes RJ's best friend and helper. Eventually, RJ faces a choice---to marry or have a career. In that day and time, a woman wasn't supposed to have both.
I was really drawn in by the character of Rosa. She is smart, strong enough to pursue her goals in the face of opposition from men all around her, and determined to do what she loves even though it comes with a cost.
Since RJ's job involved teaching the farmer how to preserve the soil from erosion, the author goes into great detail in describing the horrible duststorms and the damage they inflict---not only upon the land but emotionally upon the people as the become weary of fighting for survival. I have read other novels which touch upon the dust storms but this one is more descriptive than any others I have read. At the same time, there is much human drama in the book as well.
I highly recommend it ---especially to those who enjoy reading about the Dust Bowl era.
Her first problem starts when she arrives and the people in Vanham find out that RJ is a woman. She meets a lot of opposition to teaching soil conservation techniques to the farmers not only because she's a woman but because they are resistant to government interference. She develops a relationship with two men, Harvey Clay, a local farmer, and Woody, a young man who is socially inept but brilliant. Today he would be considered to have an autism spectrum disorder. However, he becomes RJ's best friend and helper. Eventually, RJ faces a choice---to marry or have a career. In that day and time, a woman wasn't supposed to have both.
I was really drawn in by the character of Rosa. She is smart, strong enough to pursue her goals in the face of opposition from men all around her, and determined to do what she loves even though it comes with a cost.
Since RJ's job involved teaching the farmer how to preserve the soil from erosion, the author goes into great detail in describing the horrible duststorms and the damage they inflict---not only upon the land but emotionally upon the people as the become weary of fighting for survival. I have read other novels which touch upon the dust storms but this one is more descriptive than any others I have read. At the same time, there is much human drama in the book as well.
I highly recommend it ---especially to those who enjoy reading about the Dust Bowl era.
September 12, 2019
This was a very enjoyable listen and was very hard to press pause on.
I feel the Dust Bowl is a period in our history that we talk little about. On top of the historical information that is both horrific and fascinating, the main character RJ is working as a soil scientist. It was not common for women to work and on top of that she was working in two fields that have not always been friendly to women science and agriculture. RJ's story and overcoming spirit are so inspirational. There are many things that even as a women today trying to work in a cross of agriculture and science that are relatable and still difficult to conquer.
Rebecca Roberts did an amazing job with very distinct voices and was very easy to listen to. I liked the wind noise used for transitions in the middle of chapters. It was much easier to follow then a long pause that most books seem to do.
I received a copy of this audiobook at my request, and I have voluntarily left this review.
I feel the Dust Bowl is a period in our history that we talk little about. On top of the historical information that is both horrific and fascinating, the main character RJ is working as a soil scientist. It was not common for women to work and on top of that she was working in two fields that have not always been friendly to women science and agriculture. RJ's story and overcoming spirit are so inspirational. There are many things that even as a women today trying to work in a cross of agriculture and science that are relatable and still difficult to conquer.
Rebecca Roberts did an amazing job with very distinct voices and was very easy to listen to. I liked the wind noise used for transitions in the middle of chapters. It was much easier to follow then a long pause that most books seem to do.
I received a copy of this audiobook at my request, and I have voluntarily left this review.
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