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On Dream State: A Novel by Eric Puchner

On Dream State: A Novel by Eric Puchner
by Linda Allen

This is Linda Allen for HPPR Summer Reads. In keeping with my background in psychology, I gravitate to relationship stories. My first read this summer was Dream State by Eric Puchner which is about relationships and so much more.

As I prepared this BookByte, I began by jotting down words and phrases that describe this masterful book which takes place over a span of 50 years. I wrote the following:

· Choices
· Family
· Love
· Loss
· Putting pieces of oneself back together after loss
· Parent/child bonds
· Male friendship
· Children becoming adults and people in their own right and how heartbreaking that can be
· Aging
· Climate and environment change
· Time
· Self-determination
· Finding one’s place in the world, and
· Species loss

Although this book has received plenty of accolades, my reading group gave it mixed reviews and I have adjusted my impression between finishing it and writing this. The author includes so many aspects of life and culture that I needed to sit with them for a while.

At its core is love, loss, grief, friendship and loyalty. Never mind that it takes 50 years to distill that spirit to its essence.

The rest of the story is detailed in the paths of the three main protagonists and two of their children, all of whom weave in and out each other’s lives over 50 summers framed by time at a lake house in Montana and the choices and changes that create these characters’ lives.

The dialog between friends that illustrates male interactions is unguarded and poignant, opening a window to the rare air of men who truly care about one another and make the effort to stay in touch over time.

Locating the story in a small town in western Montana adds the element of a warming climate that leads to drought, fires and species loss. This is loss there is no recovering from and left me feeling apocalyptic sadness.

I did find myself drawn into the storytelling and empathizing with the characters in this highly readable novel. I wanted to see what was coming and what had caused the devasting loss shared by two close friends.

Eric Puchner teaches writing and is a prolific author with many short stories and now three novels to his name. This one has received the most attention so far. In real life, his wife’s family has a lake house in Montana\, so he draws from experience describing the beautiful scenery and shock of diving into the ice-cold lake.

I wouldn’t consider this a light-hearted summer read, but it is an escape and a story I’ll think about going forward. Wishing you all a great summer reading.

I’m Linda Allen, a Radio Reader in Amarillo.


Linda Allen
Linda Allen

I’m Linda Allen, transplanted from eastern Oregon to the Texas Panhandle. I’m a devoted dachshund mom, a retired psychotherapist and an Advanced Teacher of Therapeutic Yoga. Between dog walks and hikes at Palo Duro Canyon I enjoy reading, traveling and volunteering.

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Summer Read 2025: Summer Reading List 2025 Summer ReadHPPR Radio Readers Book Club
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