From the Bookshelf of Bound Together…

In the Distance

Hernan Diaz

Start date: July 20, 2019

Finish date: August 3, 2019

Discussion: Hear...Hear...Lead by Karen

Why we're reading this: Hear...Hear... Audio
July 20 thru Aug 3
[close] Hear...Hear... Audio
July 20 thru Aug 3

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

No topics in Hear...Hear...Lead by Karen yet. Start one now »

What Members Thought

Jul 14, 2019 ☮Karen rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, hoopla, read-in-2019, hear-hear-on-bt

4.25 stars. This is a one-of-a-kind original American Western. No cowboys; fake Indians. While the stage coaches are headed West to the California Gold Rush, our protagonist Håkan is headed East, to New York. Sort of an anti-Western.

He had come from Sweden in 1850 with his older brother, but took the wrong ship from England, bound for California instead by way of Buenos Aires. Now all he wants to do is cross the Continental U.S. to get to NY where he assumes is his brother. But many years pass, ...more

23 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2020 Ruby Grad rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book is not for everyone, but for those who can appreciate it, it is a great read. It's the story of a Swedish immigrant to the United States and his adventures. It takes over a number of years in the 1800's, describes harsh living conditions at the time and how the protagonist works with them, and includes a bit of magical realism, which I really enjoyed. By mistake, he lands in San Francisco and then sets out to cross the country to find his brother, who may or may not have taken a ship t ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2020 Alena rated it really liked it

I'm not sure how or why I added this to my to-read list. It's not my typical fare as I might file it under "landscape fiction." But it met the criteria for a couple different book challenges I'm working through this year and it was on the shelf at the library so I picked it up.
I ended up liking it much more than I thought I would. Admittedly I may have skimmed a few of the longer landscape descriptions, but I was so captivated by Hakan, a Swedish immigrant trying to make his way across America i ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2020 Martha☀ rated it liked it

Shelves: audiobook, library

At 7(ish) years old in approx 1850, Hakan and his older brother, Linus, are sent away from their home in Sweden in search of a better life in New York but, early in the journey, the brothers get separated. Hakan boards the wrong ship, sails around South America and has ended up on the west coast of America. He tries to make his way east, without any understanding of the size of America or even the shape of the Earth. Heading against the tide of migrants who head west, he encounters some goodness ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Apr 16, 2019 LindaW rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-saclibrary, dave-read, western

Really good. But…really strange. Very different from my usual reading fare. My DH read it also, and had the same evaluation. It is a story that will stay in my thoughts for awhile.

2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 02, 2025 Melanie rated it it was ok

I have a feeling this is the wrong book at the wrong time for me. I was traveling and this book was quickly coming due. I was out of town for a conference and read this walking around and riding the Metro in Washington DC. I was more focused on the completion than the journey. I do have a book discussion later this month that may help me appreciate this book more. I will flip though the book before the discussion.

How did this book find me? It is the September 2025 selection for the TALK Book dis ...more

1 like · Like · see review