If Monte Becket nurtured dreams of being the Great American Novelist, those hopes crumbled soon after his first book was published. Now, five years later, it's 1915, and he is about to formalize his defeat by reclaiming his gloomy job at remote Minnesota post office. Before he bites that sour bullet, however, he accepts a vague invitation to travel overland to Mexico with an aging, decrepit outlaw. Becket might be just following the strongest current, but old train robber Glendon Hale is on a feverish mission: He wants to erase mistakes that he made 20 years before. As this unlikely pair travels deeper and deeper into the West, they move further and further from any tranquil certainties.

So Brave, Young, and Handsome is an adventure of the heart and mind as much as of the body. This second novel from Enger will not move you as deeply as Peace Like a River did, but it is far more than just a hectically plotted cowboy adventure story. A famous literary editor once said, "Never be sincere. Sincerity is the death of writing." But Enger proves him wrong. His new novel is romantic but not silly. It belongs to a golden time at the edge of our collective memory of what life—and stories—were like when the West was young and a tale was something to read aloud at night under the lamplight. The world Enger writes about here is a vanished one, but Enger has brought it back to life by the force of his belief.
—The Washington Post

Enger's second novel is a marvelous tale of an unsuccessful writer and an elderly train robber on a cross-country journey to confront past demons. Dan Woren's narration is steadfast and resolute throughout, offering two unique characters each with his own colorful view of the ever-encroaching modern world. While there is little in the way of varying dialects and tones at work, Woren offers believable and realistic protagonists that immediately capture the listener's imagination and holds it until the end. Simultaneous release with the Atlantic Monthly Press hardcover (Reviews, Jan. 28). (May)

[Leif Enger is] a formidably gifted writer, one whose fictions are steeped in the American grain. . . . [He] is-like Ron Hansen-a child-friendly, contemporary American heartland novelist, a writer unafraid to concoct and couch his stories in such terms as faith, miracle, sin and grace, repentance and redemption, atonement and absolution. . . . Enger is a masterful storyteller . . . possessed of a seemingly effortless facility for the stiletto-sharp drawing of wholly believable characters [and] a pitch-perfect ear for the cadences and syntax of Midwest and Great Plains vernacular. His Amishly carpentered prose smacks of plow work, prairie, flapjacks and cider, butter churns, denim and calico. . . . At times reminiscent of the sinew and gristle in the craggier work of Annie Proulx, and at other times aspiring to a Jean Shepherdesque folk poetry . . . So Brave, Young, and Handsome is affable and human as all get out, homespun and sophisticated at once, wise and knowing about the ubiquity of the human condition and the vagaries of the human heart.
—Bruce Olds

A superbly written, utterly compelling story of self-discovery and redemption disguised as a cracking good adventure tale . . . Enger has created a work of great humanity and huge heart, a riveting piece of fiction that while highly accessible is never shallow. This story of an ordinary man's discovery of who he is and his place in the world is exciting, admirable and ultimately very affecting. . ..After reading the final page, don't be surprised if you find yourself shaking your head and murmuring, "Wow. What a good book.
—Peter Moore

So Brave, Young, and Handsome is an almost perfect novel, lively and engrossing, full of surprises, funny, touching, and a great read. . . .

[This novel] will appeal to fans of Larry McMurty's Western epics, but also to those who enjoy the magical realism of Isabel Allende and Alice Hoffman. The straightforward narrative, recounted in a single voice, keeps us turning the pages, faster and faster, and by the time the story comes full circle, Enger will have plenty of new fans hoping he gets to work soon on his next book.
—Gail Pennington

Enger's (Peace Like a River) sophomore effort is at once engaging and curiously flat, somewhat like its Midwestern setting. In 1915 Minnesota, Monte Beckett, a writer trying to follow up a runaway best seller (like Enger himself), leaves his incomplete novels, his wife, and his son to go on a quest. Glendon Hale, a boat builder with a checkered past, takes Monte with him on his journey to apologize to the wife he abandoned 20 years previously. Their trip takes many unexpected detours while they try to avoid the ex-detective who has pursued Glendon for several decades. What awaits them at the end of their journey surprises both men. This is a particularly American tale, with many elements from both penny Westerns and Mark Twain; the plot is improbable, but the writing is absorbing. Libraries where Enger's first novel was popular will want this book as well. [See Prepub Alert, LJ1/08.]
—Amy Ford

A belated follow-up to a popular debut finds the Midwestern novelist in fine storytelling form, as he spins a picaresque tale of redemption and renewal amid the fading glories of the Old West. Some readers will undoubtedly find autobiographical implications in the protagonist conjured by Enger (Peace Like a River, 2001). In his second novel, a Minnesota writer who has enjoyed his own out-of-the-blue success with a popular novel struggles in vain to produce a suitable successor. In the opening pages of this first-person narrative, Monte Becket introduces himself as a nothing-special Everyman, a former postman who quit his job after his novel Martin Bligh reached a readership beyond the wildest expectations of both the part-time author and his publisher. Yet Becket has since suffered a crisis of confidence, starting and abandoning seven different manuscripts over a four-year period until he fears that his success was just a fluke. This story has its start in 1915, just as Becket abandons his final manuscript, when a mysterious geezer in a rowboat passes his Minnesota riverfront home (with a nod toward Enger's earlier novel, rivers run through this one) and ultimately entices Becket to join him on an adventure that will change both of their lives. The mysterious man's name may or may not be Glendon Hale; he may or may not be an outlaw on the run; and he most certainly is a boat-building alcoholic. With the encouragement of his painter wife, Becket leaves behind a comfortable home and a loving family to accompany Hale on a pilgrimage, one that will find Becket learning more about his companion's identity while assuming an alias of his own. As they head south toward Mexico and then west toCalifornia, they find their travels enlivened by a young accomplice who joins them and a pursuer who trails them, a former Pinkerton detective who has also enjoyed some literary success. Revelations abound, for both Becket and the reader. Though Becket laments that he "can't write a(nother) book that anyone will want to read," Enger has. Agent: Paul Cirone/The Friedrich Agency

“After writing an adventure tale that was a surprise bestseller, Monte’s efforts to produce another have all failed. So when an old-time Western outlaw (who is now just plain old) floats by, Monte is swept down the river and into the past of someone who might have walked out of the pages of a Western novel. The two encounter ragtime remnants of the old west and a plot to match in a novel that is at once an elegy to a vanished past, a kindly-intended satire of the western genre, and a great story with a big heart.”—Betsy Burton, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

"In this book Enger again explores the often transparent line between good and bad, focusing his story on characters who fall in the grey in-between. Failed novelist Monte Becket accompanies his friend,former outlaw Glendon Hale, to Mexico to find Hale's estranged wife. Their adventures along the way, and the surprising end of their journey, make for an exciting and thought-provoking read." — Erica Caldwell, Present Tense, Batavia, NY

“Set in the early nineteen hundreds, Monte Becket, writer of one very successful novel, is at odds with his inability to find a story for his second book. A chance meeting with a colorful character from the Old West sets Monte one the road to his adventure and quest. Enger takes us for a wonderful ride in a time gone by, where cowboys roam, Pinkerton men track their prey, and Wild West shows abound. The story is enhanced with Enger's ability to evoke time, place and setting as he did so well in Peace Like a River.”—Jane Dawson, Porter Square Books, Cambridge, MA

“Captivating cast of characters, (Monte, Glendon,Hood Charles Siringo) and a wonderful sense of place,(the American West of 1911). Leif Enger captures our interest again. Could he write faster?”—Suzanne Droppert, Liberty Bay Books, Poulsbo, WA

“I am just back from a bookselling conference called Midwinter Institute, hosted by the American Booksellers Association. The highlight of the weekend for me was meeting Leif Enger, author of Peace Like a River. On the plane ride, I brought along a review copy of Enger’s new book that will be released in May, titled So Brave, Young, and Handsome. While I was pulling out my copy of the book, I noticed another bookseller across the aisle from me also pulling out the same book. We chuckled over this and plunged into our respective copies. At the conference, we attended an author reception one night, a room with 40 authors, 500 booksellers, wine, and cheese—it’ s awesome to say the least. We, of course, patiently waited in line to meet Leif Enger. When we reached the author, I told him about reading his book on the plane, and he told me, somewhat shyly, “I know, I was sitting behind you.” Furthermore, he visited Sister Wolf Books last summer, but didn’t identify himself to staff! You have a treat in store for you when Enger’s new book arrives in stores.”— Jennifer Geraedts, Beagle Books, Park Rapids, MN

“Enger treats us to a wild ride as we accompany the main character along on an adventure which not only cures his writer's block, but also permits him and his young family a chance to find a new life and home far from the one they have become accustomed to.”— Betsy Goree, The Book Shelf, Tryon, NC

“A riveting story that keeps taking unexpected turns. I was so involved with the characters; I didn't want it to end.”—Jennifer Hall, Partners Village Store, Westport, MA

“Leif Enger's long-awaited second novel is a joyride, deserving of a wide audience. With subtle artistry, it flows like the breeze over a rag-top dashboard. Stymied by writer's block, Monte is drawn inexplicably to leave his family and accompany his enigmatic neighbor on a quest to find the woman he left in California while running from the law a lifetime ago. Quickly, the pair becomes fugitives on the lam, among a cast of scalawags and outlaws in an old-fashioned road novel rivaling tales of Bonnie and Clyde. So Brave shines with the gritty romance and adventure of Water for Elephants, and Enger's own Peace Like a River.”—Sara Hinckley, The Hudson Group

“This wonderful novel written by a delightfully naive narrator recalls Mark Twain in its adventurous tale. When Monte Beckett, an author of a successful children's action novel, finds himself on his own Western odyssey, we find ourselves in the world of cowboys, outlaws and Pinktertons. A delight!!”—Meaghan Leenaarts, Island Bookstore, Duck, NC

“A charming and delightful read about the adventures of an ‘accidental outlaw’ and the Western Romance writer with writer's block who accompanies him on his quest for forgiveness from the young wife he abandoned. A very satisfying ending.”—Andy Lillich, University of Oregon Bookstore, Eugene, OR

“Leif Enger has done it again: a novel that reads like a modern fable, with characters to cheer for and despise. A reformed bank robber begins a journey to reconcile with a long lost love. He is accompanied on this journey by a has-been author and chased by an obsessed ex-Pinkerton agent. What more can you ask for? Circus freaks? O.K. It has those too. For those of you who loved Peace Like a River, So Brave will not disappoint.”—Chris Livingston, The Book Shelf, Winona, MN

“Enger’s second novel is another rousing good yarn. A cast of varied, colorful characters weave among well-defined landscapes in a plot that defies re-telling or summation. You had to be there. I especially appreciated the first and last sentences of the chapters; it required discipline not to go on for just one more, as Enger teased us into the next adventure. While this reads like a transcription of a good storyteller’s oral entertainment, it is a finely-crafted work and exquisitely written.”—Cheryl McKeon, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park WA

“Talk about living through the curse of the second book! I loved Peace Like a River madly and admit that I had trepidations starting So Brave, Young, and Handsome. What if it stank? What if he was a one hit wonder? But I loved it, LOVED it from the first paragraph on. Leif Enger is such a talented writer and this second book was as much of a treat as his first, and completely different. It is very Mark Twain and I can’t wait to recommend it.”—Holly Myers, The Elliot Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA

“Leif Enger has again successfully blended family, friendship and adventure set in the early Twentieth century west. It all adds up to a moving and satisfying page-turner.”—Nancy Olson, Quail Ridge Books & Music, Raleigh, NC

“This picaresque novel features rogues you might not mind having dinner with, heroes who appear in unexpected places, and atypical chases featuring handcrafted boats. This is storytelling at its best from a writer many already love.”—Linda Ramsdell, The Galaxy Bookshop, Hardwick, VT

“Just finished reading Leif Enger's new book, So Brave, Young, and Handsome. Actually, the book won't even be published until May, 2008. One of the advantages of being a bookseller, and there are many, is having access to books before they are born. Another advantage is that we often get to meet authors, as I met Leif last week in Louisville. I attended the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute (and believe me, it was WINTER in Louisville) where I was delighted to find that my favorite author finally had produced his second novel and he was in attendance, signing his book. I was delighted to meet him and report that our store had sold hundreds of his first book, Peace Like a River. That book, one of my most recommended for years, is referred to in the store as a ‘bun burner.’ Lest you think it is somehow racy, let me assure you that it only means that one customer loved it so much that she let the buns burn! It reminded me of Huckleberry Finn, O, Brother Where Art Thou and The Fugitive all wonderfully rolled up together. I can't think of anyone who would not enjoy this one.”—Susan Richmond, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA

“So Brave, Young, and Handsome contains all the elements of a wonderfully satisfying novel. Enger brings his unique and gifted voice as an old-fashioned storyteller to good use in this tale about an unassuming writer on an epic trip across the West in the year 1915. Populated with richly imagined, thoroughly credible characters, including a good bad guy and a bad good guy, a precociously knowing eleven-year-old, and Mexican girls, it is a tale of adventure, retribution, reconciliation and deep and abiding loves. Enger evokes the landscape and sense of place with the same care, lyricism, and joyful language with which he develops his story. Passionate fans of Peace Like a River will be delighted with this book and new Enger readers will be thrilled to discover him.”—Tripp Ryder, Carleton College Bookstore, Northfield, MN

“So Brave, Young, and Handsome certainly feels like Peace like a River in its poised, gentle handling of his characters (especially children) and his themes of flight and grace. The pleasure, though, lies as much in the new novel’s differences as in its similarities to the first. From the opening page, Enger signals his intention to keep the intimate narrator’s voice but filter it through a slightly drier, more mature speaker. Though comparisons can be made to Ivan Doig, to Twain, even to Beckett, my best compliment is to say that after approximately twenty-five pages, I forgot about other authors, and even Enger’s first book. So complete is this tale; so honestly written and plainly evoked (with just the right hint of mystery) are these characters that the chapters unfold with suspense and wonderment.”—Stephen F. Shapiro, Rainy Day Books, Inc., Fairway, KS

“Two men, two friends, two cowboys . . . and the whole West in which to ride, hide, explore dreams, evade those that follow, and live life to its fullest. This is a galloping book that begs to be savored by all armchair adventurers!”—Nancy Simpson, The Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA

“It's been a long wait for the second novel from the writer of Peace Like a River. Enger's new book is completely different, also wonderful.”—Sally Wizik Wills, Sister Wolf Books

“I took Leif Enger's new novel So Brave, Young, and Handsome on vacation with me and the best adventure I had was reading it. Enger has written an old time western. The kind we loved to read before they became the dark, violent property of current writers. There is still plenty of action in the book. For that matter there is plenty of violence but it is woven together and driven by the development of the main men who inhabit this story. So Brave, Young, and Handsome is a long, lingering journey across the American West at the turn of the twentieth century. It portrays a still young country just turning from outlaws on horses to heroes in Model T's. Enger captures this growth sprit in our history with the perfect mix of nostalgia, anticipation and anxiety and places within the stark western landscape men who are seeking redemption, adventure and escape. This is an entirely different book than Enger's first, Peace Like a River, which speaks to the author's dexterity as a writer, but it was worth the wait. And I mean it.”—Sue Zumberge, Common Good Books, St. Paul, MN

Dan Woren's voice for Minnesota writer (and story narrator) Monte Becker is straightforward, flat, and a little bored. This approach is a perfect fit as Becker is looking for adventure after the unexpected success of his first novel and the string of writing failures that followed. Becker thinks he's found it in the strange personage of Glendon Hale. But he has no idea what’s to follow, nor do listeners, as Becker accompanies the enigmatic Hale into wild adventures of the fading Old West of 1915. The story has a large cast of characters, and Woren personalizes each, giving particular strength to Charles Siringo, an ex-Pinkerton villain. Siringo's rough and ugly voice makes him a great auditory counterpoint to Becker, who becomes his unwilling travel mate. S.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine