Closing the Distance: Reading Louis Owens

C l o s i n g t h e D i s t a n c e : R e a d i n g L o u i s O w e n s S u s a n B e r n a r d i n W o r k s R e v i e w e d L a L o n d e , C h r is. Grav e Conce rns, T rickster T urns: T he Novels o f Louis Ow e ns. N o r m a n : U n iv e r sit y o f O k la h o m a P r e ss, 2 0 0 2 . 2 2 0 p a g e s, $ 3 4 - 9 5 . O w e n s, L o u is. I He ar the T rain: Reflections, Inv e ntions, Refractions. N o r m a n : U n iv e r sit y o f O k la h o m a P r e ss, 2 0 0 1 . 2 6 5 p a g e s, $ 2 9 .9 5 . I h e a r m y t r a in a c o r n in ’. — Jim i H e n d r ix Jim i H e n d r ix ’s so n g “ G e t t in g M y H e a r t Ba c k T o ge t h e r ” (“ H e a r M y T r ain A C o m in ” ) riffed o ff o ld h lu es so n gs t h a t sp o k e o f t h e ir sp e ak e r s’ d r e a m s o f le a v in g b e h in d p e r so n al, le ga l, a n d e c o n o m ic t r o u b le s: “W a it in g ar o u n d t h a t t r a in st a t io n / W a it in g fo r t h a t t r a in / T o t a k e m e / t a k e m e aw ay / Fr o m t h is lo n e so m e t o w n .” W it h 1 H e ar the T rain, t h e t it le t h a t w o u ld b e c o m e h is last b o o k o f c o lle c t e d essay s, Lo u is O w e n s in v o k e s t h e q u in t e sse n t ia lly A m e r ic a n sy m b o l o f r est le ss m o t io n . In h is ly r ical p r e face , O w e n s u se s t h e t r a in a s a p o w e r fu l m e t a p h o r fo r ar t icu la t in g t h e v a n ish in g p o in t s o f A m e r ic a n a n d A m e r ic a n I n d ia n h ist o r ie s. A s car rie rs o f w e st e r in g A m e r ic a n s a n d e a st e r in g In d ian s, o f t h o se se e k in g w ays in t o t h e p r o m ise o f n e w la n d s a n d t h o se b e in g fo r ce d aw ay fr o m a n c ie...