At the end of his career, Lyman Ward, bound to a wheelchair, embarks on a search for understanding of his family and himself. He moves into his California ancestral home and devotes his remaining months to researching piles of correspondence, clippings and mementos of his grandmother, a noted illustrator. Angle of Repose also provides a glimpse of the life in mining towns of the late 19th century American West as Lyman's grandmother copes with the struggles and schemes of her husband. This beautifully written book is a pleasure to read. Despite some loose ends and an unsatisfying conclusion, Stegner's vivid portrayal of the American West from a distinctive point of view is well worth reading.
