East of the Mountains If suicide was at odds with his life, why did he consider it?

Sopheatra Khiev An Old Man's Journey <Tab/>The novel East of the Mountains by David Guterson is not about a boy or alien but an "old" man's struggle with terminal colon cancer. "Suicide was at odds with the life he knew, at odds with all he understood, of himself and of the world"(58). An old and retired heart surgeon, Ben Givens seeks to put all of his memories behind him and …

…the beauty of the eastern landscape and studies the relationship between humans and nature. This book is a definitive must have if your going through tough times in your life and need something to cheer you up. The novel is written with exceptional imagery and passion. I rate this novel an eight out of ten. "He had been born in the cradle of apple orchards and it was this world he wanted to return to" (275).