Saints At the River

by Ron, Rash-

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On Feb 13, 2018, Anonymous said

"The fog finally thinned and the sun broke through. When it did we were in a section where stands of poplar trees lined both shores. As the last smudges of fog evaporated, the yellow sun-struck poplar leaves brightened like lamp wicks being turned up. The air felt charged and alive, like when lightning breaks the sky before rain. Thought we were in slow water, the river's pulse seemed to quicken. Everything, including Luke and me, shimmered in a golden light. For the first time in my life I saw the river the way I believed Luke saw it."

Saints at the River is the second novel by American poet, short story writer and novelist, Ron Rash. In late April, twelve-year-old Ruth Kowalsky from Minnesota, on vacation with her family, steps into the Tamassee River in South Carolina, slips over the waterfall and drowns. She is drawn into a hydraulic and sucked under, to be held there until the river sees fit to release her body.

Her parents obviously want to take her home to be buried, but the local Search and Rescue crews are unable to retrieve her. In spring, the Tamassee is a white-water river, making a dive for the body too dangerous, and the river comes under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1978, which precludes usual methods of retrieval like dynamite.

The community is divided: dissatisfied with efforts by the locals (he's referred to them as hillbillies), Herb Kowalsky has brought in businessman touting his temporary dam; the white-water rafting business is concerned their river's reputation will tip from thrilling to dangerous; a land developer sees the opportunity to weaken environmental regulations; loggers, too, resent the district park ranger's power; and the environmentalists (tree-huggers) are determined to see the law upheld.

Photojournalist Maggie Glenn grew up in this town and knows most of the players well. She escaped to Columbia, but her boss has sent her back with Pulitzer nominee, Allen Hemphill to cover the story. Maggie's evocative photograph at the scene sees politicians weighing in to the debate. But Maggie also has issues from her past in Tamassee to deal with ("It was not a convenient memory, because I couldn't frame it neatly into the black-and-white photograph I'd made of my past."), and Allen is not free of baggage, either.

Rash's forte is his characters, and here they contend with grief, guilt, fear, resentment, and the need to forgive. Always, Rash's love for, and connection to, the Appalachia and her people are apparent in every paragraph. "… an October sky widens overhead with not a wisp of gray or white cloud, just blue smoothed out like a quilt tacked on a frame. It's a sky that makes everything beneath it brighter, more clarified…. Poplars and sweet gums hold clutches of gold and purple, but many leaves have already fallen. The thinning foliage makes the river seem wider, as if the banks have been pushed back a few yards on each side."

His descriptive prose is often exquisite: "After death, everything in a house appears slightly transformed – the color of a vase, the length of a bed, the weight of a glass lifted from a cupboard. No matter how many blinds are raised and lamps turned on, the light is dimmer. Shadows that cobweb corners spread and thicken. Clocks tick a little louder, the silence between seconds longer. The house itself feels off-plumb, as though the foundations had been calibrated to the weight and movement of the deceased." This is a moving and powerful read.

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Saints at the River
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Saints at the River

by RASH, Ron

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Used - Fine in original paper-covered boards and fine pictorial dust jacket.
Edition
Second Printing
Published
2004
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0805074872
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New York: Henry Holt, 2004. Second Printing. Hardcover. Fine in original paper-covered boards and fine pictorial dust jacket.. Octavo. 6.5 x 9.5 in. 239 pp. Rash's second novel inscribed affectionately to fellow writers Thomas Rain Crowe and Nan Watson in year of publication on the title page.
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Saints at the River

by Rash, Ron

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Hardcover
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0805074872
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Hardcover. Fine/Fine. Signed by Author(s). Henry Holt and Company 237pp. Signed by author on title page. 3rd printing.
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Saints at the River : A Novel

Saints at the River : A Novel

by Ron Rash

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2005
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Paperback
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0312424914
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Picador, 2005. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Near Fine
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First Edition
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2004
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Hardcover
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0805074872
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NY: Henry Holt and Co., 2004. First Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. The dustjacket shows minimal wear and is protected in a mylar cover. Brief inscription from author.
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Saints at the River; A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Very good
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Advanced Reader's Edition of the first edition/first printing
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2004
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New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2004. Advanced Reader's Edition of the first edition/first printing. Trade paperback. Very good. [12], 241, [1] pages. Signed and inscribed by the author on the title page. Inscription reads For Larry This novel of a lost world. Ron Rash 6/6/04. A major new Southern voice emerges in this novel about a town… Read more about this item
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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2004
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Hardcover
ISBN 10
0805074872
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NY: Henry Holt and Co., 2004. Hardcover. Near Fine/Near Fine. The dustjacket shows minimal wear and is protected in a mylar cover. Inscription from author on the title page.
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Saints at the River
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Saints at the River

by Ron Rash

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First ed., First printing
Published
2004
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Hardcover
ISBN 10
0805074872
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1st ed. / 1st printing. VG Book / VG DJ. Used copy with touch of stain to top textblock, else very tight and clean with full numberline. DJ has mild shelfwear, miniscule chipping to upper flap corners only, no tears and 24.00 price intact. Not remaindered. Nice. See photos.
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Saints at the River : A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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0312424914
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Picador. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages.
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Ron Rash

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2005-07-01
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Saints at the River : A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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0312424914
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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As New
Published
2005
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Paperback
ISBN 10
0312424914
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U.S.A.: Picador, 2005. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on title page. New book, opened only for signing. Ships in a box.. Signed by Author. Soft Cover. As New.
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Saints at the River : A Novel

Saints at the River : A Novel

by Ron Rash

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Used - Good
Published
2005
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0312424914
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Picador, 2005. Paperback. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Very Good
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First Edition
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2004-08-06
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Hardcover
ISBN 10
0805074872
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Henry Holt and Co, 2004-08-06. First Edition. hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 6x0x9. Signed. Signed by Ron Rash on the title page. First Edition, First Printing. Dust jacket and book are clean. Has a very good binding, no marks or notations. Dust jacket price not clipped.
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Saints at the River : A Novel

Saints at the River : A Novel

by Ron Rash

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Published
2005
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Paperback
ISBN 10
0312424914
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Picador, 2005. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Fine
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Fine in Pictorial Wraps
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First American Edition
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2004
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Soft cover
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0805074872
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New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2004. First American Edition . Soft cover. Fine/Fine in Pictorial Wraps. First Printing. Author of THE COVE. ADVANCE READERS COPY.
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Saints at the River

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Very Good
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First Paperback Edition First Printing
Published
2005
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ISBN 10
0312424914
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New York: Picador, 2005. First Paperback Edition First Printing. Trade Paperback. Very Good/No Dust Jacket. Signed. A Very Good copy of the first paperback printing. Light cover wear, clean/unmarked within. Nicely inscribed and signed by the author in the year of publication, and signed again by the author beneath his name at the title page.
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Saints at the River

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Very Good
Edition
First Edition
Published
2004
Binding
Hardcover
ISBN 10
0805074872
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Henry Holt & Company, 2004. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket in very good condition. First edition. SIGNED by the author. Minor shelf and handling wear, overall a clean solid copy with minimal signs of use. Signed… Read more about this item
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SAINTS AT THE RIVER.

SAINTS AT THE RIVER.

by Rash, Ron.

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Used - Very near fine in glossy illustrated wrappers.
Published
(2004)
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First edition -
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Ione, California, USA
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New York:: Henry Holt,, (2004). First edition -. Very near fine in glossy illustrated wrappers.. Advance Reading Copy (trade paperback format. ) The author's second novel, the story of a small South Carolina town divided by the aftermath of a tragic accident. 237 pp.
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$24.50
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Saints At The River

by Rash, Ron

Condition
As New
Published
2005
Binding
Paperback
ISBN 10
0312424914
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New York, New York, U.S.A.: Picador USA, 2005. SIGNED BY AUTHOR on title page. New and unread. Ships in a box.. Signed by Author. Soft Cover. As New.
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Saints at the River: A Novel

by Rash, Ron

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Used - Collectible - Good
ISBN 10
0312424914
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