Let Him Go

2015 Longlist

From the author who brought us Montana 1948, Let Him Go is pitch-perfect-gutsy and unwavering. Larry Watson is at his storytelling finest in this unforgettable return to the American West.

Dalton, North Dakota. September, 1951. It has been years since George and Margaret Blackledge lost their son James when he was thrown from a horse, and months since his widow left with their only grandson and married another man. Margaret is resolved to find and retrieve her beloved grandson Jimmy-the last of the family line, and a living embodiment of her son’s memory-while George, a retired sheriff, is none too eager to stir up trouble. Unable to sway his wife from her mission, George takes to the road with Margaret by his side, traveling through the Badlands to Gladstone, Montana. But when Margaret tries to bring little Jimmy home to North Dakota, the Blackledges find themselves entangled with the Weboy clan, who are determined not to give up the boy without a fight.

(From Publisher)

About the Author

Larry Watson’s novel Montana 1948 has sold over 400,000 copies since it came out in 1993. Watson has received two grants and fellowships from the NEA, in 1987 and 2004 and has firmly established himself as one of America’s greatest storytellers.

Librarians’ Comments

Family tragedy set in North Dakota in 1951.

Understated and sparse prose adds to the tension in this beautifully crafted story about a woman who will do anything to rebuild her family after a devastating loss.