In my travels I listen to many books on CD. Since I am in a couple's book club, I was really on the alert for a good conversational book that we all might enjoy. Finally after reading Plainsong, I knew this was the one I would pick. From my perspective, there isn't a wasted word in the story. This tale has all the themes that we all face, though in our urban complex lives, the issues aren't always so clear. Having grown up around Gregorian chant I can say I have a feel for the simple rhythm that this book generates. Well done by Haruf and I would recommend it to anyone with a desire for something a little deeper that speaks to the soul. A rich read!