The Story of Edgar Sawtelle

There was an author reading last night at the Tattered Cover bookstore in Denver. The Tattered Cover (www.tatteredcover.com), if you don’t already know, is one of the finest and most interesting independent bookstores in the US. You can truly get lost there, and spend a whole day browsing in glorious racks and rows of books. You won’t get hungry either, because they have a really good restaurant on site.

Anyway, readings at the Tattered Cover happen all the time, but I’d particularly like to mention last night’s, which was by first-time novelist David Wroblewski. I wasn’t there, but I have read his book and interviewed the author, and it’s a really great new book. Yesterday was book’s official publication date. It has already received some great press, and I’m sure the great reviews are going to keep rolling in.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is, according to the author, “a boy and his dog” story for grown-ups. It takes place on a farm in rural Wisconsin in the 1970s, where the Sawtelle family raise a special breed of dogs. Edgar is their mute 14-year old son who has a very special relationship with the dogs, particularly one dog named Almondine.

Over the next few days I’ll be talking more about this book and interviewing the author. For now, take a look at one recent review: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/05/AR2008060504378.html