Things You Should Own: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle
If you have been near a bookstore, or even a place that happens to sell hardbacks, or if you are just a subscriber to O, then you have probably heard of The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. I know that it was an Oprah book pick (like The Road) because I still have not been able to get the damn sticker off of the jacket.
Edgar Sawtelle is an American Hamlet, and is one of the most beautifully written works that I have read in a while. The story, if you know Hamlet, is rather predictable, but then it doesn't really matter. West Side Story is Romeo and Juliet with music and "can't we all just get along?" racial overtones. My favorite episode of Moonlighting is a retelling of Taming of the Shrew. The magic is in the telling, not the originality.
From the publisher's book description:
Born mute, speaking only in sign, Edgar Sawtelle leads an idyllic life with his parents on their farm in remote northern Wisconsin. For generations, the Sawtelles have raised and trained a fictional breed of dog whose thoughtful companionship is epitomized by Almondine, Edgar's lifelong friend and ally. But with the unexpected return of Claude, Edgar's paternal uncle, turmoil consumes the Sawtelles' once peaceful home. When Edgar's father dies suddenly, Claude insinuates himself into the life of the farm--and into Edgar's mother's affections.
Grief-stricken and bewildered, Edgar tries to prove Claude played a role in his father's death, but his plan backfires--spectacularly. Forced to flee into the vast wilderness lying beyond the farm, Edgar comes of age in the wild, fighting for his survival and that of the three yearling dogs who follow him. But his need to face his father's murderer and his devotion to the Sawtelle dogs turn Edgar ever homeward.
It is a well written book that is well worth your time.
Price: USD 17.13
1098 used & new available from USD 0.10
