The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is the first novel by American author David Wroblewski. It became a New York Times Best Seller on June 29, 2008, and Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club on September 19, 2008. Winfrey also included the book as one of the few tangible gifts in her recession-themed thrifty Oprah's Favorite Things that year. The same year, it was a finalist for the Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction.The novel is a retelling of William Shakespeare's Hamlet in rural Wisconsin. The title character is a mute boy who, after his father is killed, runs away from but then returns to his usurped home, hoping to prove his suspicions that his uncle murdered his father.
I enjoy running because it is one of the few things that gets me outside (disconnected!) and lets my mind wander within itself. The pacing of the story and the quality of the writing brought me a similar experience. There are moments of action, but there are also stretches where development is slow and the nuance of life comes to the front. The time for reflection within the story is what gives the unique story heart, and, for me, personal meaning.
