Book of the Week: THIS OTHER EDEN by Paul Harding
From the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Tinkers comes a lyrical historical novel, This Other Eden. As beguiling as the cover of this book, Harding’s writing has been described as ‘painted imagery’ and as ‘angelic sentences’. Like his earlier works, this is set in New England, this time on the imagined Apple Island, based on the historical Malaga Island off the coast of Maine, home to a racially mixed fishing community from the Civil War up until the early 20th century. It’s a story of a community on borrowed time.
Short-listed for this year’s Booker Prize, the judges said: “Based on a relatively unknown true story, Paul Harding’s heartbreakingly beautiful novel transports us to a unique island community scrabbling a living. The panel were moved by the delicate symphony of language, land and narrative that Harding brings to bear on the story of the islanders.”
This Other Eden is rich in language and imagery with unforgettable characters. A handsome gift in this hardback edition, or a perfect addition to your summer reading pile.