Plainsong

Alan Kent Haruf (1943–2014) was an American novelist born in Pueblo, Colorado, who wrote six novels and short stories set in the fictional High Plains town of Holt. After early struggles with odd jobs and teaching, his 1999 bestseller Plainsong brought commercial success, followed by sequels Eventide (2005) and Benediction (2013), with his final novel Our Souls at Night published posthumously. Critics praised his spare prose, authentic rural portrayals, and focus on ordinary lives; he received awards including Whiting Award, Dos Passos Prize, and National Book Award finalist for Plainsong.Kent Haruf