Tinkers

Once in a while you run into a book that catches you off guard. One of the books that caught my attention was Tinkers by Paul Harding.

Tinkers by Paul Harding

Tinkers is a special book that was written beautifully. The prose just fluttered in your ears with a distinct sound that is like poetry. Its obscure size and all white design is easy to miss but once you start reading you will be captured by the writing style and imagination of Paul Harding. He is a new writer with his first published book. The book was passed by several major publishing houses before Bellevue decided to publish the book with a limited number of copies. As it turned out the book was good enough to bag a Pulitzer Prize which it deserved.

SPOILER ALERT! READ ON AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

The story is a parallel between father and son that were on their deathbeds and had a serious illness at the later parts of their life. The book started with Howard Crosby and his son George Washington Crosby. The book takes you on a ride with a multitude of memories of both men that are intertwined into one story. Although the book was non-linear the fragments of memories put the whole piece together. There is a touch of humanity that is at the heart of the book. I especially liked the way the author mixed the story of how clocks were formed and even how to make a nest. It somehow makes you feel that he was trying to say something more about the life of the two men and nature.

Nature was an integral part of the story and how small man can be at times with nature's regal presence. The story moved from one perspective to another but somehow you feel that it is the same person but the main difference is that they are in two different points in time. The life of Howard and George are told in a pastiche of time segments.

I won't divulge any further you have to judge the book yourself to find out.

4 out of 5 stars for Tinkers by Paul Harding