If you are looking for new writers to read, Jade, you’ve come to the right place.
This probably should be in the ‘what am I reading now’ thread, but this thread is as good a place as any. Besides, I’m not currently reading it anymore.
And that is Seldon Edwards’ The Little Book.
Heard about it on NPR last summer.
Spent most of late summer and fall reading it.
Had to slow burn it and savor every last bit of this epic masterpiece, IMHO.
I’ve been reading fiction for many many years, yet this book had me seriously considering penning my first fan letter ever. It is quite different than your typical crime novel. You guys all seem to talk exclusively about crime novels here, and why not? It’s the Dutch Forum for chrissake. But I’m glad to see folks like Jade inquiring about other authors and genres. Good on ya, J-man.
The Little Book is Mr. Edwards’ first novel and it has taken him over 30 years to write. That fact alone seems to have shaped and evolved his story like no other that I can think of having read. It’s a historical novel, set partly in 1897 Vienna, partly in WWII England and France, partly in Northern California c. 1950 and 1990, and touches turn-of-the-century Boston and on through the rest of 20th century New England. It can be compared to some of Elmore Leanard’s books, I suppose, in that EL likes to set his stories in different eras (1898 Cuba, 1930s dust bowl, 1860s Arizona Territories), but you would never mistake this book with one of Elmore’s. Still, great writing is great writing.
Like most of EL’s books, this one draws you in quick and keeps you there. Also like EL books, the chapters are quite short. Four to eight pages for the most part. This book has over 50 chapters as I recall and it comes in at less than 400 pages. Wheather you get to this one or not, J, at least you’ve got another author for you list. Mr. Edwards needs to step up the output if he hopes to stay on it, though.
Now, back to the EL blurbs…