Buckler's book is tops. The story follows the life of an unpublished writer who must sacrifice his dreams to run the family farm. The prose reads like poetry, the images are breathtaking. It is so beautifully written it made me want to weep. In fact, I had to stop reading the novel for awhile and move to another book, then resume reading it about a week later. The novel is so dense, it reminded me of visiting catherals in Europe or gallery after gallery of museum masterpieces -- the senses can only absorb so much, before you are in overload and need a break. Perhaps that's why the author's body of work is sparse.
I am going to recommend this great read to friends. Although there is not much action, the emotions and thoughts of the characters are true and timeless. I must confess I did shed a tear or two at the end. Like a lot of great literature, The Mountain and The Valley is sad.

The Mountain and the Valley started out as a PERFECT look at growing up in a rural landscape. Buckler, through his careful choosing of his language, created an atmosphere of perfect beauty. The story is about one who is born with the soul of an artist, and Buckler transforms the novel into art to fit with that theme. I did say that it started out this way. Partway through the book, art begins to become at odds with the ruggedness of the rural landscape. This conflict begins to transform the beautiful book into something truely haunting and sometimes almost scary. Was the book ruined by this sudden shift? There will be mixed feelings about it. On one hand, the beauty of the perfection was ruined by it. But this is a real life book, not fantasy. On the other hand, there had to be pain. For artistic vision cannot go left unattained, even when living in an environment where it is not supposed to exist. Either way you take the shift of the books tone, it will leave you with a feeling that you have read a story that needed to be told so that you do not make the same mistake.

Ernest Buckler has captured a true reflection of the Canadian experience and spirit in The Mountain and the Valley. It is one of the most moving and compelling stories I've read, profound in its simplicity. A whole university course could be taught on its imagery alone.