Tinkers

While I was down in the Village my husband and I happened upon McNally Jackson Bookstore. What a wonderful independent bookstore! When you walk in you feel like you are home. My favorite feature were the staff picks displayed around the 2 levels of the store. This is where I picked up Jessica's pick "Tinkers".

What initially drew me to the book was it's simple book cover with a recommendation from Marilynne Robinson, award winning author of "Gilead" and "Home". I have enjoyed Ms. Robinson's poignant stories about the everyman. Her recommendation for Paul Harding's book "Tinkers" peaked my interest. If his writing proved to be even half as enjoyable as Ms. Robinson's I knew I would be in for a treat.

I was not disappointed. The story centers around 3 generations of a New England family's men and their struggles with mental health, disease, family, and their inter-relationship to each other. Mr. Harding's writing is absolutely beautiful and creates poetic motion where life can sometimes seem still to the unobservant eye. Each man's life was interconnected with his son's through the things he tinkered with.

I actually would like to sit down and reread this book to immerse myself in Mr. Harding's artistic nuances. (I rarely want to do this with a book I have just finished.) I guess the only word of warning I might have for this book is that it is not written like anything I have read before. Which in my opinion is not a bad thing but it may catch the unsuspecting reader off guard. If you get a chance I highly recommend "Tinkers" by Paul Harding!