Peace Like a River: A Brief Summary

Warning: This Post Contains Information Concerning or Regarding Future Pages of Peace Like a River.

Despite some people's opinions, I think that this is a wonderful book, and a real reflection of classic Westerns and modern day fiction. Leif Enger brings us a literary masterpiece about a boy on the search for his fugitive brother; his hardships, triumphs, and sacrifices.

The story takes place in a small Midwestern town called Roofing, where Jeremiah, Reuben, and Swede Land live. Reuben narrates the story, and from the first moment of his life, struggled to do such a simple thing as breath. He is severely asthmatic, and has to breath steam to even take a breath sometimes. His father, the school janitor, is a very different man. He works miracles of God through his hands. Reuben believes that he was put into this world for one main purpose: To be a witness to his father's miracles. The first of Jeremiah's miracles was when Reuben was born. For twelve minutes, Reuben couldn't breath, but Jeremiah said, 'Reuben Land, in the name of the living God, I am commanding you to breath!' And Reuben took his first breath.

The next miracle happenes about 11 years later, when the Lands are up at their friends', August and Birdie Schultz's, house. They are curled up sleeping in the barn after hunting, where Reuben had shot his first goose. Reuben wakes up, having to go to the bathroom, which was an outhouse about 100 feet from the barn. As Reuben heads for it, he hears footsteps outside, which turn out to be his father pacing on the bed of a dilapidated pickup truck. Jeremiah was praying, as he often did, praying about his 16 year old son's current situation.

A few days ago, the town bullies, Israel Finch and Tommy Basca, were caught by Mr. Land beating up on Davy's girlfriend in the locker room. Mr. Land whacked them around a good deal with his broom stick, but Davy thought that that wasn't enough punishment for them. Also, they had actually made threats against the Land family, so Davy was on edge.

Anyway, as Jeremiah was pacing, he walks to the edge of the truck, about three feet off the ground. Normally, one would have turned back, so as to not walk off the edge, but he kept walking. Walking on air, that is. Here is 11 year old Reuben Land witnessing his own father walking on air. Pretty amazing, huh?

Israel and Tommy struck first. That is, they kidnapped nine year old Swede right out of her own house while Reuben and Jeremiah were at church, and Davy occupied. Immediately after they discover Swede is missing, Jeremiah calls the local sheriff, who insists that it is merely mischief. Davy, afterwards, comments, 'How many times does a dog have to bite you before you put him down?', reffering to Israel and Tommy.

Swede is brought back, but doesn't want to talk about her ordeal. Instead, she chooses to talk through her writing. An avid writer and poet, Swede often relays her emotions through her

poetry, especially through Sunny Sundown. Swede is captivated by the Old West, and writes about a vigilante named Sunny Sundown and his quest to capture the evil bandit King Valdez...