Tinkers

by Paul Harding

"This is such a quiet & beautiful novel. Harding writes some of the most wonderfully

descriptive lines & paragraphs I've ever read. Definitely worthy of the Pulitzer. "

Reviewed by Sue Domis

Harding's outstanding debut unfurls the history and final thoughts of a dying grandfather surrounded by his family in his New England home. George Washington Crosby repairs clocks for a living and on his deathbed revisits his turbulent childhood as the oldest son of an epileptic smalltime traveling salesman. The descriptions of the father's epilepsy and the cold halo of chemical electricity that encircled him immediately before he was struck by a full seizure are stunning, and the household's sadness permeates the narrative as George returns to more melancholy scenes. The real star is Harding's language, which dazzles whether he's describing the workings of clocks, sensory images of nature, the many engaging side characters who populate the book, or even a short passage on how to build a bird nest. This is an especially gorgeous example of novelistic craftsmanship.

Impatient With Desire

by Gabrielle Burton

"This is historical fiction at its best.  In 1864 Tamsen Donner and her family set out for California in a covered wagon train. Unfortunately, due to delays and poor decisions the whoe wagon train party ended up spending the winter snowbound and starving in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. "The Donner Party" became infamous for the choices they made in order to survive. This novel puts you right inside the story. Their plight will stir your soul and make you appreciate all your everyday comforts. This story will stay with you long after you put the book down."

 Reviewed by Ann Reierson