Title: The Little Book
Author: Selden Edwards
First published January 1, 2008
416 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780525950615 (ISBN10: 0525950613)
Rating: 3.74
Overview
Selden Edwards’ The Little Book is a remarkable love story that transcends time and generations. Wheeler Burden is a multifaceted character who is exiled from California and is the heir to the famous Boston banking Burdens family.
He is a philosopher, a history student, a rockstar, a writer, a half-Jew, and a Harvard baseball hero. He is also a recluse and lover of women.
In 1988, at the age of forty-seven, he finds himself mysteriously transported to Vienna in 1897. He meets Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, and a group of young intellectuals, becoming entangled in a love affair with a young American woman.
Wheeler embarks on a journey to uncover the truth about his family’s impact on the course of the coming century. The Little Book is a stunning masterpiece of storytelling that establishes Selden Edwards’ reputation as an exceptional, imaginative, and inventive novelist.
About the Author
In 1974, Selden Edwards began writing his debut novel, The Little Book, during his early days as an English teacher. He dedicated himself to refining and perfecting the manuscript throughout the years until it was finally completed in 2007.
Despite being his first novel, Edwards’ impressive career includes working as the headmaster at various independent schools across the United States. He has also been the secretary of his Princeton class for over four decades and has played basketball there as well.
Currently, he resides in Santa Barbara, California.
Editoral Review
In Selden Edwards’ novel The Little Book, readers are taken on a magical journey through time and space, exploring the complex connections between the past and the present. Published in 2008, this work of historical fiction features a unique blend of genres, styles, and themes that make it stand out in the literary landscape.
At its core, The Little Book is a love story spanning three generations, told through the eyes of a young man named Wheeler Burden. Old money, Ivy League-educated, and a talented musician, Wheeler seems to have everything going for him until he finds himself transported back in time to Vienna in 1897.
Through a series of mysterious events, Wheeler discovers that he is the son of his own great-grandfather, who happens to be a famous composer and conductor in fin de sicle Vienna. As Wheeler tries to make sense of his new reality while navigating the political, cultural, and artistic upheaval of Vienna at the turn of the century, he meets a cast of compelling and memorable characters.
From the passionate and intelligent Emilie, the woman he falls in love with, to the enigmatic and manipulative Sigmund Freud, the novel is populated with figures that feel both familiar and strange at the same time. What makes The Little Book such a remarkable read is the way in which Edwards weaves together different genres and styles, seamlessly blending elements of historical fiction, time travel, romance, and mystery.
The author’s meticulous attention to detail and his vivid descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of fin de sicle Vienna transport the reader to a bygone world that is both fascinating and unsettling. At the same time, Edwards masterfully explores some of the most profound themes of human existence: the nature of love, the meaning of identity, and the power of memory.
Through Wheeler’s journey, readers are invited to reflect on their own relationships, their own sense of self, and their own past and future. Of course, no book is without its flaws, and there are some elements of The Little Book that may not appeal to every reader.
Some may find the plot twists to be a bit predictable or formulaic, while others may find the pacing to be slow at times. Additionally, some may argue that Edwards relies too heavily on historical figures and events, sacrificing character development in the process.
Overall, however, it is difficult not to be swept away by the sheer beauty and lyricism of Edwards’ writing. The Little Book is a marvel of storytelling, and it is sure to captivate readers of all ages and backgrounds.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an unforgettable reading experience that will transport them to a world of beauty, intrigue, and wonder. Rating: 4.5/5
