In the past year I have become a huge Wallace Stegner fan-The Angle of Repose was probably my favorite book read in 2014. Crossing to Safety is a deeply absorbing and as Stegner referred to it a “quiet book”. The story of the friendship of two couples is told in the span of a day. Larry and Sally Morgan and Sid and Charity Lang meet in Wisconsin young and starting their academic careers-they share a love of literature. They are the combination of Eastern intellect (The Langs) and Western intellect (The Morgans). Larry is the dedicated and ambitious writer and Sid the hidden poet /at heart good teacher/lacking drive- Sally the supportive spouse and Charity the exacting partner. You follow them through summers in Vermont (a true east coast tribal affair),WWII, a year in Florence and ultimately the last day back in Vermont to visit a dying friend.

There are successes and tragedies-moments of intense emotional clarity and compassion and moments of exactitude and manipulation but through it all there is an abiding friendship. Early on you learn of Sally’s polio later you learn of the Lang’s generosity in their support. You identify with Larry’s drive, Sid’s kindness, Sally’s motivation to not be a burden, and Charity’s relentless desire for the best for her loved ones. Interspersed are some extremely funny moments-Moe one of the Lang’s son-in-laws and a highly respected and published economist refers to the Lang women as a pride and perhaps everyone should recognize it as such and why that is alright with him and some extremely touching ones-Larry’s still wanting to throttle the Doctor that nearly cost him both Sally and his daughter during their daughter Lang’s delivery even twenty five years after the fact.

Stegner effortlessly has the reader evaluate the importance of ambition and success, what it is to be bound to another, can adversity deepen a relationship and how perhaps the inner workings of a lifetime together should only be the province of the participants. He shows us that life is quiet and complicated and that there is beauty in simplicity and nature. Crossing to Safety is the type of book that you take with you into your day and are the much better for it.