Swyler book of speculation

One of buzzfeeds 24 best fiction books of 2015 includes a bonus short story by erika swyler. In the tradition of sara gruens water for elephants, erin morgensterns the night circus, and elizabeth kostovas the historian, the book of speculation with twocolor illustrations by the authoris erika swyler s moving debut novel about the power of books, family, and magic. Read what people think about the book of speculation by. The book of speculation is erika swylers gorgeous and moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books and family and magic. In the dual narratives of swyler s poignant latest after the book of speculation, a small florida town falls into a sinkhole in time, and the occupants of a spacecraft preparing a planet for colonization race to fix their life support system. Her writing has appeared in catapult story, literary hub, vida, the new york times, and elsewhere. Isaac fitzgerald, buzzfeed simon watson, a young librarian, lives alone in a house that is slowly crumbling toward the long island sound. A novel by erika swyler and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Simon watson, a young librarian, lives alone in a house that is slowly crumbling toward the long. Startelegram a wonderful novel, full of mystery through the centuries with great details about carnival life, similar to the night circus by erin morgenstern.

In the tradition of sara gruens water for elephants, erin morgensterns the night circus, and elizabeth kostovas the historian, the book of speculationwith twocolor illustrations by the authoris erika swylers moving debut novel about the power of books, family, and magic. Books are sensual and powerful objects in the book of speculation, but then so is the tarot, water, the circus, and love and lust themselves. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. This passion inspired her debut novel the book of speculation simons not having the best week. Before she was a suburban wife and mother, paulina watson was the mermaid girl of carnival lareille. May 31, 2016 and when the book within the book is actually magical, as it is or may be in erika swyler s the book of speculation, well, let the wild read start. Erika lives on long island, ny, with her husband and a petulant rabbit. And when the book within the book is actually magical, as it is or may be in erika swyler s the book of speculation, well, let the wild read start. Read a sample click to the right or left of the sample to turn the page. And when the book within the book is actually magical, as it is or may be in erika swylers the book of speculation, well, let the wild read start. The novel opens when an archival librarian receives in the mail a battered old nineteenthcentury ledger. Carnivals, curses and mermaids fall slightly flat in speculation erika swyler s generous yet somewhat disappointing debut follows a young man and a mysterious book. The book of speculation king county library system. A sweeping and captivating debut novel about a young lib.

As simon, a lonely research librarian, searches frantically for the key to a curse that might be killing the women in his family, he learns. Since then, generations of mermaids in simons family have drowned always on july 24, which is only weeks. Erin morgensterns the night circus, katherine dunns geek love, or katherine howes the physick book of deliverance dane, wont want to leave this festival. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The book of speculation by erika swyler books on books. The book of speculation it is always exciting to find an author that can transport you so thoroughly to another place and time and its even more exciting when it is a debut novel. The history of the book of speculation also involves a book within a book.

The book of speculation one of buzzfeeds 24 best fiction books of 2015includes a bonus short story by erika swyler, the mermaid girlas simon, a lonely research librarian, searches frantically for the key to a curse that might be killing the women in his. The book of speculation is erika swyler s gorgeous and moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books and family and magic. The book of speculation is a luscious experiencedark, sweet, and wild. A strikingly written debut, the book of speculation is reminiscent of the night circus, but with more grit and darkness. Sep 09, 2018 in the book of speculation by erika swyler we follow simon watson who was orphaned along with his sister as a teenager. A graduate of nyus tisch school of the arts, she seeks to make work that is in dialog with the arts, sciences, and history. Waterdamaged and falling apart, the book logs the daytoday expenditures and events of a traveling circus. Now an adult and a librarian, he stumbles upon a mysterious family secret that has plagued the women on his mothers side for generations. Erika swyler s the book of speculation is indeed speculative, but in a fascinatingly fantastic way. A sweeping and captivating debut novel about a young librarian who discovers that his family labours under a terrible curse for generations, the women in his family have died on the same date in july. Fragile and water damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things, including the drowning death of a circus mermaid. Books about books can be tricky things, a fact that erika swyler slyly.

The book of speculation is an epic saga that hooks instantly and then races forward with lots of plot, more than a little magic realism, and lots of travelling circus and tarot lore. Swyler intercuts simons present dramaintensifying research into the diarys history, loss of his job at the local library, incipient but already rocky love affair with fellow librarian alice, return home of enola, irretrievable collapse of the family manse. The book of speculation erika swyler 9781250054807. The book of speculation erika swyler 9781782397649. In the tradition of sara gruens water for elephants, erin morgensterns the night circus, and elizabeth kostovas the historian, the book of speculation is erika swyler s moving debut novel about the power of books, family, and magic. Isaac fitzgerald, buzzfeed r edolent of salty ocean airits clever plotfueled by a musty book and a powerful set of tarot cardsand swyler s wonderful descriptions keep the pages swimming along. What does it have to do with the book, and can he get to the heart of the mystery in time to save enola. Simon watson becomes worried for the welfare of his sister, enola, when he is sent a book that once belonged to a traveling carnival and learns that many of his ancestors have died on the same day july 24th in the same way drowning, which is also when and how his mother died. Light from other stars by erika swyler, paperback barnes. In erika swylers gorgeous debut novel, the book of speculation, simon watson receives an old ledger that once belonged to a traveling carnival in the mail, along with a note mentioning a connection to his late mothers family. The book of speculation is erika swylers gorgeous and moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books, family, and magicavailable june 23rd from st. Prepare to be swept away by the magical, mysterious the book of speculation finally. The book of speculation by erika swyler has been on my shelf for far too many years, and it seems to have spoken to me at just the right time. From erika swyler, author of the book of speculationone of buzzfeeds best fiction books of 2015 a short story of a mermaid who ran away from the circus, and what happened when she started a life on land.

Jun 26, 2015 at first blush, it seems that the story erika swyler is telling in the book of speculation begins with the delivery of a book. The mermaid women, condemned by the curse to drown amongst seething scuttling crabs, are bewitching and irresistible. Author erika swylers short fiction has appeared in womenarts quarterly journal, litro and elsewhere, and her work as a playwright has received the jane chambers award. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the book of speculation. Erika swyler writes with a whimsical, romantic prose that is beautiful to read, yet her story is. Thats certainly the case in erika swylers the book of speculation, a whimsical, magical and yet wellgrounded novel about mermaids who drown and a heritage that finds each generation without them even seeking it. With a slight border into the fantasy realm, this tale is wellwoven and provides an opportunity to feel the impact the. This detailed literature summary also contains quotes and a free quiz on the book of speculation by erika swyler. The book of speculation captured me from the very first sentence with beautiful language and a uniquely crafted family tale. I wanted to stay in both simon and amos worlds a bit longer, if only to experience swylers uncanny ability to enchant me with her words, much like evangeline enchanted those with her presence. She lives on long island, ny, with her husband and a mischievous rabbit. Josh steele, entertainment weekly a dazzling debutquirky, raucous, and bewitching.

In 1986, 12yearold nedda papas dreams of joining the ranks of the female astronauts she idolizes. Erika swyler is an american writer and playwright with a fascination with travelling carnivals. To submit her book to publishers, swyler wanted to mimic for them the feeling simon gets when the old book. Erika swyler is the bestselling author of the critically acclaimed novels light from other stars and the book of speculation. It may not be my typical goto genre, but it was just what i needed right now. Fragile and water damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things, including the drowning death of a. Her recent move back to her hometown on long island. Erika swylers the book of speculation inspired by long.

Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the book of speculation. But it soon becomes apparent that the events and circumstances in the tale are founded on the intertwined lives of people stretching back hundreds of years. The book of speculation is erika swyler s gorgeous and moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books, family, and magicavailable june 23rd from st. Swyler has a tale to spin, and she does so with directness and wit. While this is partly due to a weakness on my part for circus stories, it is mostly due to erika swyler s striking writing style and intricately woven narrative. The book of speculation ebook by erika swyler 9781466857797. Jun 23, 2015 the book of speculation by erika swyler. Erika swylers the book of speculation is indeed speculative, but in a fascinatingly fantastic way. The book of speculation is one of the best books ive had the privilege to read. Katherine dunn, author of geek love a good book is magical. Simon must set out to unravel the mystery of this curse, before his.

The book of speculation is erika swylers gorgeous and moving debut, a wondrous novel about the power of books, family, and magicavailable. Erika swyler is the bestselling author of light from other stars, and the book of speculation. One june day, an old book arrives on simons doorstep, sent by an antiquarian bookseller who purchased it on speculation. A tale full of magic and family mystery, the book of speculation will keep you up all night reading. It is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things, including the drowning death of a circus mermaid. Carnivals, curses and mermaids fall slightly flat in. Discussion questions book club recommendationsdiscussion. When a young librarian comes into possession of the diary of a traveling. In the present day, simon watson seems the quietest and dullest of men. Carnivals, curses and mermaids fall slightly flat in speculation.

With a slight border into the fantasy realm, this tale is wellwoven and provides an opportunity to feel the impact the past has across a familys descendants and relationships. Felt a bit bereft since finishing the night circus. Debut author swyler creates a melancholy world with hints of magic at the edges. The book of speculation one of buzzfeeds 24 best fiction books of 2015includes a bonus short story by erika swyler, the mermaid girlas simon, a lonely research librarian, searches frantically for the key to a curse that might be killing the women in his family, he learns strange and fascinating secrets about their past. In the book of speculation by erika swyler we follow simon watson who was orphaned along with his sister as a teenager. In the tradition of sara gruens water for elephants, erin morgensterns the night circus, and elizabeth kostovas the historian, erika swylers the book of speculationwith twocolor illustrations by the authoris a moving debut novel about the power of books, family, and magic. Her writing has appeared in catapult story, vida, the new york times, and elsewhere. The title alone was intriguing and i really had no idea what to expect. Waterdamaged and falling apart, the book logs the dayto.

Buzzfeed, the 24 best fiction books of 2015, on the book of speculation swyler has a tale to spin, and she does so with directness and wit. Simon, an about to be unemployed librarian, investigates the family history in the hopes of preventing further tragedy. Her essays and short fiction have appeared in catapult, literary hub, vida, the new york times, and elsewhere. A piece of our heart stays tucked inside its lines when we return the book to its place on our shelf. One june day, an old book arrives on simon watsons doorstep, sent by an antiquarian bookseller who purchased it on speculation. June 23, 2015 when a young librarian comes into possession of the diary of a traveling circus from more than 200 years ago, he decides the book may hold clues to a family mystery he needs to solve to save his sisters life.