If the purpose is implicit, tell what you think the purpose of the book is and why.

I finished How the Other Half Lives by Jacob A. Riis and am now reading Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.

I am not really sure what I think is the purpose of this book yet; I will try to work it out as I write this. I don't know very much about Leif Enger's personal life or background, but I feel like he must be somewhat similar to Reuben Land, the main character, in order for him to have captured his character, fears, beliefs, personality, and experiences so fully. I'm not saying that I believe that Enger went on a cross-country trek with his religious father and poet sister to find his outlaw brother, but from my experience authors write about things that are familiar to them. I bet that Enger grew up with a religious background, as his book carries this religious theme of faith and miracles. He most likely knew someone like Swede who had an innate gift for storytelling as well as poetry and meter. I would also guess that he did have an older brother, to whom he always looked up but maybe shouldn't have. So based on what I know about the book and what I can infer about Enger himself, I feel that the purpose of his book is to inform his readers about things he believes in, i.e. miracles, faith, family, morality. I am not a religious person. To me personally, it felt like he was trying to convince me of these religious things he experienced. It felt like he was trying to turn me, a skeptic, into a believer. I don't necessarily think that was his goal in writing it, but I do think his goal had to do with teaching his audience about these things that he believes in.