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“One of the truest and most original new voices in American letters,” as Kent Haruf has written, Mark Spragg now tells the story of a complex, prodigal homecoming.

Jean Gilkyson is floundering in a trailer house in Iowa with yet another brutal boyfriend when she realizes this kind of life has got to stop, especially for the sake of her daughter, Griff. But the only place they can run to is Ishawooa, Wyoming, where Jean’s loved ones are dead and her father-in-law, the only person who could take them in, wishes that she was too. For a decade, Einar Gilkyson has blamed her for the accident that took his son’s life, and he has chosen to go on living himself largely because his oldest friend couldn’t otherwise survive. They’ve been bound together like brothers since the Korean War and now face old age on a faltering ranch, their intimacy even more acute after Mitch was horribly crippled while Einar helplessly watched.

Of course, ten-year-old Griff knows none of this–only that her father is dead and her mother has bad taste in men. But once she encounters this grandfather she’d never heard about, and the black cowboy confined to the bunkhouse, with irrepressible courage and great spunk she attempts to turn grievous loss, wrath, and recrimination–to which she’s naturally the most vulnerable–toward reconciliation and love.

Immediately compelling and constantly surprising, rich in character, landscape, and compassion, An Unfinished Life shows a novelist of extraordinary talents in the fullness of his powers.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Knopf; First Edition (August 31, 2004)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 257 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1400042011
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1400042012
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.4 x 9.2 inches
Reviewer: William D. Brisbane
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: You'll 'finish' it quickly and happily...it's that darn good.
Review: One of the best books about the modern west you'll find, and without doubt, a novel that surpasses most others notwithstanding the topic. It has all the characterization a reader can imagine, plot, narrative with intelligent and often humorous dialog and even an ending to make it a feel-good read; and it would have been just as fine for me had it had an alternative, not so feel-good finale, as it's that fine of a tale and one to keep the reader enthralled page after page. If you haven't found out about Mark Spragg yet, you don't know what you are missing, and without wanting to be repetitive, this novel is not solely one more western adventure, it's all about just plain good writing that is highly entertaining all the way through. If I have one complaint, it might be that Mr.Spragg, following clues from other current writers of modern western fiction, may have tried to keep his story a bit too sparse...I would have enjoyed a bit more of this story and time with its characters.

Reviewer: S. Roach
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Created by a craftsman with an appreciation of the ties that bind
Review: After Mark Spragg's Unfinished Life was selected as a community book in our county, I chose it for students in one of my classes because I hoped doing so would provide the opportunity to read and analyze a book, view and compare its corresponding film, and--a very unique experience in our rural community--discuss the book and ask questions about it of the author, a rare trifecta for my high school students. At the time of selection I didn't know how my 16- to 18-year-old students would receive the book, film, or author, but now I do.As a book selection in an elective high school course--re: not required for graduation--An Unfinished Life was somewhat handicapped from the start. It isn't about vampires, romance, sex, or money. The reading level is adult and contains quite a few sentences that are more than eight words in length. Description outweighs action. Yet students not only finished the book, they took it in. They felt the feelings of the characters. They embraced Spragg's way of showing how some family members are chosen beyond bloodlines, how two men can be completely devoted to one another, how a child can be much more astute about the losers a parent brings into their lives than the parent, how loss can be debilitating and feed a bitterness that seems insurmountable--until a second chance or opportunity for redemption, and how life isn't over until it is truly and completely over, even when things seem otherwise. These are things my students experience in their own lives, and Spragg's characters validated their instincts and experiences instead of the more typical arguments they hear against them (that blood family trumps all, that men who care deeply for one another are suspect, that parents are omnipotently wise, how time heals all wounds unless one is weak, and that bad decisions are forever with us, so don't screw up).The craftsmanship that allowed Einar, Griff, Mitch and all of the other characters to speak to my students also developed a landscape they could see, smell, and hear--whether they had ever been west of Kansas or not, and Spragg's method of showing various points of view and skillfully revealing snippets of the past kept students curious and eagerly reading beyond my required schedule. It is not typical to have visually driven high school students report liking a book more than the film, but such was the case here. No, the film isn't terrible; it's just that it only offers us eyeball-images of the characters and the scenes instead of Spragg's words. Now Robert Redford, even grayed and scruffy, and Jennifer Lopez, albeit bruised, certainly are not hard to look at, and the landscapes shown in the film are often breath-taking, and we do like Morgan Freeman's Mitch and the young actress who is perfect as Griff, but through the book Spragg guides our imaginations to create views in the "inner eye" that are more satisfying. More significantly, the feelings the book leads readers to develop for these fictitious characters makes it hard to let them go. The relationship between Mitch and Einar is both touching and hilarious, and Griff is simultaneously observant, brave, and willing in the way only a child of ten can be--if the child is developed by Spragg. The moments when a teacher provides a book which students would not have chosen and are not necessarily excited about reading are not rare; but when, having read such a book, students say they love it, when they talk about the book and the characters outside of class, and when they become more open to the idea of willingly trying other books outside of their comfort zones...well, those are the moments that keep teachers doing what they do. An Unfinished Life had such an effect.Finally, if you ever get the chance to meet Mark Spragg and hear him discuss his work, don't miss the chance. I haven't recently met a more genuine, unpretentious, and generous man than he, and my students were so impressed after an hour-long meeting during school hours that many in the class drove thirty minutes (one way)to an evening reading on their own time--and with their own gas. They sat through over 90 minutes of an author reading from and talking about his book, and doing so wasn't required of them. 'nough said.

Reviewer: MJKunk
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Must read
Review: I almost didn't buy this book because of some of the things I read in the reviews, such as, it's a slow read and the characters are unlikable. Don't be fooled-this is an excellent book and well worth your time to read. I loved all the characters, especially because they remind me of the people I've lived and worked next to all my life. They each have a tough exterior, something that comes from living a hard life wrought with many bad choices, but the author has a way of unraveling these hardened hearts in a way that exposes what's most vulnerable in all of us.I want to mention that I watched the movie, both before and after I finished the book and would recommend it, but the book, in my opinion, is much better and you won't be disappointed.

Reviewer: Darrelyn Saloom
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An Unfinished Life / Unforgettable Characters
Review: Einer Gilkyson, an old rancher, is stuck in the grief of losing a wife and a son. His best friend is stuck in a body wracked with pain. Einer's widowed daughter-in-law, Jean, is stuck in a trailer with an abusive boyfriend, while Einer's granddaughter is stuck with her mother.Fortunately, Jean finds the guts to leave her boyfriend and goes to the only place she has left to go: Einer's ranch. Unfortunately, Einer blames Jean for his son's death and doesn't want her there. He does want his granddaughter though, and this is where the adventure begins.With his plot mapped out, Mark Spragg writes like an archaeologist. He lovingly excavates his characters from the Wyoming dirt, gently dusts them off and breathes life into them. What's not to love about an old man who pedals a giant tricycle into town to stay in shape so he can continue to care for his best friend? Or his dead son whose memory is lying all over the ranch: rocks and maps and "hawk feathers he'd hung on the wall." Then there is the dead son's namesake, Einer's granddaughter--a nine-year-old survivor who dreams of tornadoes and a better life.If you want a book with a great plot, beautiful writing, and memorable characters buy An Unfinished Life.

Reviewer: David Roberts
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Quality
Review: You like a spare style, maybe a bit like Hemmingway? (my own opinion) Then read this book.You like a master prose artist who can paint with words? Read this book.You want much more than comic book action and you want real life characters? I will repeat myself, read this book.If you like Jim Harrison's style and story telling, you should enjoy Mark Spragg.If you like the kind of stories that Kent Haruff writes, you should enjoy Mark Spragg.This is one of those books I reread because it is that good.

Reviewer: Diane M. Schuller
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: What a genuinely 'good book'. It's not a late-into-the-night thriller, nor a literary novel with luscious prose, but a down-to-earth wonderful story.I was particularly taken with the male friendship between the aging Mitch and Einar. The little girl Griff was such a delight in her refreshing ways and her almost-adult view of her life so far. And speaking of Einar, her grandfather, and Mitch, his buddy from the war, they became her first experience with decent men.Griff also had me actually giggling sometimes at the innocent things she'd say or her youthful responses to the adults around her.Who would enjoy this book: adults who appreciate real story telling and plots that relate to family, triumph over tragedy (without being a complete cliche) and definitely I can see teens or even older pre-teens enjoying the story and characters.Though I enjoyed this novel very much, because of the goodness that shone through despite the past of domestic violence and other dangers faced, I'd highly recommend this for teens or pre-teens. It doesn't gloss over the dangers or domestic violence but it demonstrates how there is hope in every circumstance, particularly when encountering good people along the way.

Reviewer: Ewelyn
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: I read this book after watching the corresponding movie. Without giving anything away, let me say that there are certain differences between both. Nevertheless both are great in my opinion because these differences do not diminish the content of the story. On the contrary, they add positively to it. The book is told from the perspective of the main characters. That is, it switches between them and the reader can get the thoughts of each character this way. Mark Spragg manages to tell the story from different perspectives in an elegant and easy way. The reader also gets to know slowly what happened before the actual storyline of the book takes place which helps to understand the whole content of the book.A great story about family, forgiveness, love and friendship containing the message that even if life turns out different than expected, it can still resolve into something good. A must have for everyone who also likes the movie!

Reviewer: Mrs P A Maple
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: An Unfinished Life started slowly for me, but I was drawn in by the characters, their relationships and the developing story. It's a gentle read, no huge dramas (well, maybe one) and a satisfying conclusion. A must-read.

Reviewer: Frank Lee
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: One of my top 50 novels - ever!

Reviewer: Ria
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A terrific novel. I bought this because I'd seen the film and the book kept me gripped from start to finish.