Book: In The Distance by Hernan Diaz

I try to read books that others consider great in large part because I am not as up to date on current novelists.  In the Distance was a book I chose to read because it was a finalist for a major award and, after reading it, I can see why it was a finalist. The basic story is that of a young Swedish man trying to get to NYC to meet his brother but ends up on the wrong ship out of England and sails all the way to San Francisco instead. The book then provides detail on this man's journey as he tries to make his way to NYC from San Francisco at a time when the most of the U.S. west was still a territory. The book has a Cormac McCarthy feel to it which I mean as a compliment. The description of the western U.S. and desert life is rich and one not only feels the heat and the thirst but also the isolation. Highly recommended.