Prairie Nocturne Audiobook By Ivan Doig cover art

Prairie Nocturne

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Prairie Nocturne

By: Ivan Doig
Narrated by: Scott Sowers
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National Book Award finalist Ivan Doig writes about Big Sky country with raw authenticity. Set during the 1920s, Prairie Nocturne finds Susan Duff, the young songbird from Doig’s Dancing at the Rascal Fair, now a middle-aged singing coach living in Helena. When her old flame, Wes Williamson, asks her to mentor his black chauffeur, Monty, she agrees. But racial tensions erupt when Susan’s private lessons with Monty attract the attention of the KKK.

©2003 Ivan Doig (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Great Plains

Critic reviews

“Fine work from a quintessentially American writer.” ( Kirkus)
Poetic Writing • Engaging Characters • Rich Descriptions • Absorbing Storyline • Unique Personalities
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I can now say I've read every one of Doig's novels and his two memoirs. I am proud to have been a fellow Northwestern alum.

Wonderful story

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This is the sixth or seventh Doig novel that I have read in the past year. The author is now in my personal pantheon of my favorite novelists. I loved the story, characters, and Montana landscape descriptions. Now I’m planning a trip to the Two Medicine Country.

This one clinched it

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Always get so attached to the characters and sad when the book ends. Love Doig’s descriptive writing. Thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Love Ivan doig

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If you could sum up Prairie Nocturne in three words, what would they be?

I love everything Ivan Doig writes. His writing is unique and poetic. Love his characters. Love his stories.

Loved it.

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Would you listen to Prairie Nocturne again? Why?

I would listen to it again because the characters and their relationships are complex and the world they live in is so beautifully described.

Which character – as performed by Scott Sowers – was your favorite?

Susan, of course.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I wanted it to last a long time.

I did not want the story to end!

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Really enjoyed the story line and how Susan was not your usual 1900s personality. I also liked the finale of the previous stories from the two medicine. Good closure. The narrator is excellent and also sings which I was surprised to hear. That's unusual in my 250+ audio adventures and it did add a different dimension to this. I would recommend!

One of my favorite Ivan Doig stories!

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I have read all of Ivan Doig’s novels and in my opinion, Prairie Nocturne is the best

Doig’s Best

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I quite liked this! I had to relisten to big chunks of the story multiple times as there were details easily missed. I'll listen to it over again as I do with all Doig... There is so much to absorb!

I do love this author's work!

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The author tried to do way too much
with this. It was unnecessarily long
and watered down. The mixed race
romance theme is tired. Doig was reaching with the KKK stuff in Montana. The Scottish immigrant
theme goes only so far and the
author has repeated it so often that
there is no new way to cook it.

There used to be at least some
decent character development and
writing in his earlier work —little of
that in Prairie Nocturne. Too bad
Doig decided to cheapen it up.
Don’t waste your time.

Tiresome

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I have enjoyed Doig's books in the past. Dancing at the Rascal Fair was just wonderful. This one, not so wonderful. None of the characters were likeable or interesting enough to hold my imagination. The story moves along as slow as molasses. Life is too short to waste on a book you don't care about. I am quitting after listening for 6 hours.

Not to my liking!

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