I recently finished reading Our Souls at Night, the latest novel by Kent Haruf. I enjoyed the book thoroughly. However, it was only after I completed it that I realized that Mr. Haruf had passed away recently and that this would be his final book. This revelation made me quite sad.
I first came across this author more than fifteen years ago when my book club from residency read his novel Plainsong. Like Souls, Plainsong takes place in the fictional small town of Holt, Colorado. Both books capture moments of pettiness and grace in this small town and remind one just how similar we all are. The prose is simple, much like the setting of Mr. Haruf's novels. However, the simplicity of the writing is what makes the stories so beautiful, and I am sad that I will not be able to read another of his stories.
Mr. Haruf's death is a reminder of how ephemeral life is, and how writers and artists are mortal just like everyone else. While Souls may be Mr. Haruf's last book, his works will live on well beyond his death. Let us appreciate the beauty in everyday life and in art and literature before it is too late for us, too! Rest in peace, Mr. Haruf.
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