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Rating:  -
It's 1957, and Paul Milliron, Montana's Superintendent of Schools, finds himself forced by the legislature to close the state's remaining one-room schools. On the way to perform his task, Paul takes a trip back to 1909, when he attended a rural, one-room school like the ones he must now close, and he relives a school year that shaped his life. We get to know his family, consisting of his widower father and his two younger brothers, plus an eclectic array of classmates, all brought to life by the author's masterful descriptions. When Paul's father hires a housekeeper from a newspaper ad, she comes with a surprise, and the action really begins.
Sure, some of the events are pretty predictable, but all are delightfully so. Doig wraps it up with some deft twists to the predictable, however, as Paul shows a somewhat different side of his character in dealing with the dilemmas of both the past and present.
The reader is left wanting to know more about what happened to Paul's brothers and classmates. But Doig does not clutter the story with that information, leaving it for our imaginations--or perhaps another trilogy as good as his English Creek, Dancing at the Rascal Fair and Ride with Me, Mariah Montana series.
Wonderful reading and inspirational as well.
Rating: -
If you're looking for sex and violence, skip it. But if you like finely drawn characters and a picture of a place and time that really was -- this is for you.
It was very well-written, amusing, had a story to tell. And I found it thought-provoking. Can't do much better than that.
Rating: -
A classic story of the American West. Doig paints the reality and beauty of the land better than any living American author
Rating:  -
There's a lot to like about THE WHISTLING SEASON. It's set in 1910 Montana; there's a one-room schoolhouse; there are three likable kids and their mostly immigrant classmates; there's a housekeeper from Minneapolis who, along with her brother, arrives when the boys' father answers her ad in the newspaper, and there's Halley's comment.
Despite all of this, I had a hard time getting into the book. For one thing, Doig switches from the thirteen-year-old narrator, Paul Milliron, to Paul as a grown-up forty-some years later. He has now morphed into the superintendent of schools who must decide the fate of the one-room schoolhouse in Montana. His diction is stilted to say the least. The second problem with the book is its seeming episodic nature. There's a bully who must be dealt with. A horse steps on the youngest boy's foot; the bully's father threatens the housekeeper's brother who becomes the teacher of the one-room schoolhouse after the former teacher runs off with a preacher; an inspector of schools shows up to decide the fate of the boys' school; Paul takes Latin after school. None of this seems to be going anyplace. But then, towards the end, Doig pulls a rabbit out of his hat and everything begins to make a bit more sense. The climax is definitely the best part of the book.
The teacher, Morris Morgan, is definitely the most interesting character. He seems to intuit that the bully needs glasses; he latches on to the teachable moment when Halley's Comet passes overhead; he's willing to devote his free time to help Paul realize his full potential. But then there's the matter of the brass knuckles that materialize when the bully's father confronts Morgan. At first, I thought this was awfully convenient, but really all Doig is doing is "planting" a prop that he will use later.
The ending seems awfully rushed as well and a bit unbelievable considering the superintendent's decision and the fate of Morris Morgan and his sister. I would also have liked to have known what became of some of Paul Milliron's classmates.
Rating: -
This is so different than much historical fiction, but it was pure delight. These characters became so real and the setting was genuine. The author's depiction of the "politics" of a one room school in a remote rural area was funny and seemed right on target. At times I laughed out loud.
Seeing Paul as both the state superintendent of schools and as a young student was so effective. Who would have thought that a bureaucrat's decision to close a small school would provide such a compelling concept for a novel. The effect of Haley's Comet on the school provides a perfect parallel for the effect of Sputnik many years later.
The writing is clear, direct, and meaningful-- just like the characters. Highly recommend this for anyone.
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