Angle of Repose is a novel by Wallace Stegner published in 1971. The novel follows Lyman Ward, a historian who has been paralyzed by a degenerative illness. Having become alienated from his family, he turns back towards his past, writing a biography of his grandmother who lived on the frontier. Based partly on actual historical letters by Mary Hallock, Ward's history presents a realistic account of life in the West and Mexico, albeit an account tainted by Ward's own disappointment in life.
The novel is thickly populated with real, although minor, historical personages. A "Who's Who" of American geologists and other western individuals of the late 19th century make their appearance, including John Wesley Powell, Clarence King, Samuel Franklin Emmons, Henry Janin, and Rossiter W. Raymond.
Already have an account? Log In Now