In the DistanceIn the Distance
Score Modern
What it's about
A young Swedish boy, Håkan, finds himself penniless and alone in California. He travels east, against the westward rush, in search of his brother, meeting naturalists, criminals, religious fanatics, Native Americans and lawmen, and becoming a legend. Hernan Diaz overturns the conventions of the Western.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Diaz later won the Pulitzer for Trust.
You'll love it if you liked
Trust
Lonesome Dove
News of the WorldGood to know
It's dreamlike and episodic, more literary than adventure.
By the numbers
- Readers65 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller16 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz7 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #75 of the 116 historical novels we rank
- #713 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1344 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Moving
More by Hernan Diaz
If you like this, read next
All the Light We Cannot See
The Book Thief
The Nightingale
The Help
Pachinko
Shuggie BainExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is In the Distance worth reading?
Yes. It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. It ranks #1,344 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 69.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is In the Distance about?
A young Swedish boy, Håkan, finds himself penniless and alone in California. He travels east, against the westward rush, in search of his brother, meeting naturalists, criminals, religious fanatics, Native Americans and lawmen, and becoming a legend. Hernan Diaz overturns the conventions of the Western.
How long does it take to read In the Distance?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after In the Distance?
If you liked it, try Trust by Hernan Diaz, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry or News of the World by Paulette Jiles.