I'm sure it comes as no surprise to most of you that I love books and reading. Always have. I credit this fact to my mama, my big sister, and Miss Winnie Carlisle (who rode a bicycle and never drove a car and ran our bookmobile when I was a child).
There's no telling how many books I've read in my life--hundreds for sure, probably thousands, maybe more. But among those books, only a handful stands out in such a way that I remember the plot, the characters, the setting, everything about them for the rest of my life. Books like Lonesome Dove, To Kill a Mockingbird, Watership Down, Gone With the Wind, David Copperfield, The Shining, and a few more. Well now I have another book to add to the list of books that I'll never forget: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski.
When I sat down here this morning, my intent was to write a review of this book. In preparation, I read several reviews written by readers and writers. After reading and thinking and starting and stopping, I find I can do no better than that prolific storyteller from Maine, Stephen King. Here's what he says about the book:
"I flat-out loved The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Dog-lovers
in particular will be riveted by this story, because the canine world
has never been explored with such imagination or emotional resonance.
Yet in the end, this isn't a novel about dogs or heartland America —
although it is a deeply American work of literature. It's a novel about
the human heart, and the mysteries that live there, understood but
impossible to articulate. Yet in the person of Edgar Sawtelle, a mute
boy who takes three of his dogs on a brave and dangerous odyssey,
Wroblewski does articulate them, and splendidly. I closed the
book with that regret readers feel only after experiencing the best
stories: It's over, you think, and I won't read another one this good
for a long, long time.
In truth, there has never been a book quite like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I thought of Hamlet when I was reading it (of course... and in this version, Ophelia turns out to be a dog named Almondine), and Watership Down, and The Night of the Hunter, and The Life of Pi — but halfway through, I put all comparisons aside and let it just be itself.
I'm pretty sure this book is going to be a bestseller, but unlike
some, it deserves to be. It's also going to be the subject of a great
many reading groups, and when the members take up Edgar, I think they
will be apt to stick to the book and forget the neighborhood gossip.
Wonderful, mysterious, long and satisfying:
readers who pick up this novel are going to enter a richer world. I
envy them the trip. I don't reread many books, because life is too short. I will be rereading this one."
Don't be daunted by the size of the book (562 pages). You'll find yourself hanging on every word, rereading sentences, paragraphs, whole pages just to make the experience last longer.
Warning: I cried for the entire last 100 pages, making reading a bit difficult. That's all I'm going to say about that.
I have to thank Nicole of Sister's Choice Quilts for telling me about this book. Thanks you, thank you, Nicole. Now I'm passing on the word to the rest of you. Do yourself a favor: read Edgar's story. You'll remember this brave boy and his remarkable dogs for the rest of your life.
This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.
On 07/28/2008, Joanne said ...
Can't wait to read this book. I read the excerpt, and I think I know what Almondine was looking for.
On 07/28/2008, mom2fur said ...
Susan, that's SO going on my to-read list! I love dog stories, and generally find Stephen King to be 'right on' in his reviews.
I also loved "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Watership Down" and "The Shining." It's hard to explain to people how good a book Watership is when all they think is, 'it's about rabbits.'
BTW, did you ever read "The Plague Dogs," by the same author who wrote Watership Down? (I can't think of his name off hand, but Richard Adams comes to mind.)
On 07/28/2008, Beverly said ...
Okay Susan, you have snared me. I'll have to get my hands on this book.
On 07/28/2008, Rian said ...
Oh, goody. I loved hearing about this book. I'll be in the airport in a few days and will look for it. I'll enjoy my "summer vacation" much more now. Thank you.
On 07/29/2008, Liz said ...
Thanks for the book recommendation! It sounds wonderful.
On 07/29/2008, patti said ...
You know how much I love animals so I guess Iwill just have to go get this book.
You ask if I did my banner. I put it there but I did not create it. Thanks for the compliment.
I love all of your goodies, aprons, hummingbird cakes, great books, and of course your altered playing cards. Wow...you have been a busy girl!
Glad the full moon didn't get you. Happy to hear you are feeling good.
Have a blessed day
Hugs
Patti
On 07/29/2008, Witoka said ...
I am always looking for a good book. I will have to get Edgar Sawtelle. I loved "Watership Down", it is a book I think of at different times as life goes on.
On 07/29/2008, Jeanne said ...
Susan, I love to read too. I was reading when I was just a small child because I always saw my mother reading and I wanted to do what she did. In fact, she taught me to read before I went to school. I am very interested in your book, Edgar Sawtelle. I love animals and you have really sparked my imagination to say the least.
I want to thank you for visiting my posts. I have been so busy with grandkid's week and a wedding, that I haven't been able to visit much at all.
I am back on track and trying to catch up with all my blogging friends.
Take care, Jeanne
On 07/29/2008, Gayle said ...
I will have to read this book as we seem to have the same taste in books! Thank you for the suggestion.
On 07/29/2008, Nicole said ...
I am so glad you loved this book Susan. I kind of knew you would! It is the sort of book that you want to start over again as soon as you finish it. It has really stayed with me.
On 07/30/2008, PHyl said ...
Many thanks for once again telling me about this new book to read!I'm impatiently waiting for the local library to call me...I'm next on the waiting list!If they don't hurry, I'm gonna order the damn thing from Amazon!
Good/great books are hard to come by.
Thank you for sharing with us other serious readers!
On 07/31/2008, bob said ...
I've just finished it. It's simply lovely and I can't recommend it enough. Read no reviews ... just dive in and enjoy Edgar's world.
On 07/31/2008, bob said ...
I've just finished it. It's simply lovely and I can't recommend it enough. Read no reviews ... just dive in and enjoy Edgar's world.
On 07/31/2008, bob said ...
I've just finished it. It's simply lovely and I can't recommend it enough. Read no reviews ... just dive in and enjoy Edgar's world.
On 08/03/2008, Rachel Murphree said ...
Susan -- Over the summer I heard a really good interview with this author, and then forgot about the book until your post reminded me. I'll search this one out!
Here's the interview from the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver, CO. They regularly post author readings, etc. Good stuff!
http://authorsontourlive.com/?p=143
On 08/06/2008, Kai said ...
Well, THAT does it! I think I told you I have an odd way of choosing which book to pull from my shelves at any given time. But your personal review has convinced me to read THIS one NEXT! Thanks!
-----
No comments:
Post a Comment