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.
David Wroblewski is a master storyteller, and his breathtaking scenes—the elemental north woods, the sweep of seasons, an iconic American barn, a fateful vision rendered in the falling rain—create a riveting family saga, a brilliant exploration of the limits of language, and a compulsively readable modern classic.
I usually read a few pages of a book each night to make me sleepy so I had purchased "The Story of Edward Sawtelle" after hearing the author on the Diane Ream Show (NPR). At first I found the book a little slow and I honestly wondered if I'd be able to finish it. I decided to take the book with me on a plane trip to Kansas this week because I knew I'd have to time to really get into it and see what all the hype was about. Page after page, I fell more in love with this book and I was nearly in tears at times on the plane. Honestly, it's one of the BEST books I've read....Buy it and be sure to finish it because it's a lengthy novel.
writes,
I just read this book while in Ashland, Wisconsin (where I grew up). Perhaps the environs and my own history there helped me like and embrace this book.
As many have stated, the ending doesn't wrap up the loose ends, doesn't feel "deserved" and it is sad. It does feel a bit rushed. That's one reading of it. Or you can read it as a tribute to the connection of Almondine, Gar, Edgar and what the Sawtelle dogs were supposed to be about.
Life rarely wraps things tidily or satisfactorily for us. The imagery and heart of this book made up for several of the shortcoming for me. The author reworked this for many years, and perhaps the ending got a little overworked in the process.
I like Russian novels so maybe the heavy and depressing are already in my blood... or maybe it's in the Northern Wisconsin water.
writes,
I could not put this book down. It was so moving and lead me through so many emotions. To be honest, I have never written anything negative about a book on Oprah's Book Club list as she always recommends such wonderful books. "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle", is on the top of my list!
