Synopses & Reviews
From the author of the beloved New York Times bestselling novel The Little Book, comes a novel about a love that is capable of bridging unfathomable distances.
Recently returned from the experience of a lifetime in fin de siècle Vienna, where she met and tragically lost the first great love of her life, Eleanor Burden has no choice but to settle into her expected place in society, marry the man she is supposed to marry, and wait for life to come to her. As the twentieth century approaches, hers is a story not unlike that of the other young women she grew up with in 1890s Boston—a privileged upbringing punctuated by a period of youthful adventure and followed by the inevitable acknowledgment of real life—except for one small difference: Eleanor possesses an unshakable belief that she has advance knowledge of every major historical event to come during her lifetime.
But soon the script of events she has written in her mind—a script described by no less than Sigmund Freud as the invented delusions of a hysteric—begins to unravel. Eleanor Burden, at once fragile and powerful, must find the courage of her deepest convictions, discover the difference between predetermination and free will, secure her belief in her own sanity, and decide whether she will allow history to unfold come what may—or use her extraordinary gifts to bend history to her will and deliver for her the life she knows she is meant to have.
Review
"Selden Edwards’s
The Little Book is a wonderful novel, and I think it has a chance to become a famous one. I’ve never read a novel like it. And I felt like my life was changing forever as I savored its many delights and mysteries."
—Pat Conroy on The Little Book
Review
“Selden Edwards’s impressive debut novel is richly inventive, woven tightly with incident, and fully engaging. It is also superbly humane and readable.”
-Richard Ford
Review
“There’s nothing small about Selden Edwards’s debut novel,
The Little Book—not its scale, ambitions, or backstory.”
-USA Today on The Little Book
Review
“Back to the Future for the intellectual set.”
—Entertainment Weekly on The Little Book
Review
“A soaring thing of joy whose only purpose—and I mean this as a compliment—is to delight and entertain.”
—Maureen Corrigan, NPR on The Little Book
Review
“[Edwards has] created a complete world, one that’s a pleasure to enter.”
—Newsday on The Little Book
Review
“I loved Selden Edwards’s first novel
The Little Book and told everyone I knew about it. I just read his second novel
The Lost Prince and think that Mr. Edwards has written his finest work so far. Once again, Selden Edwards demonstrates his mastery in blending together philosophy and art with the help of wonderful characters you fall in love with.
The Lost Prince is a terrific second novel.”
—Pat Conroy
Review
“Brilliant. Selden Edwards is a writer of great intellect and wit, and his books are a joy to read. I love
The Lost Prince.
The Little Book made such an impression on me;
The Lost Prince is even better.”
—Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain
Review
"Intelligent and romantic..."
—Booklist
Review
"A powerful, intense and fascinating read."
—Kirkus Reviews
Review
“Brilliant. Selden Edwards is a writer of great intellect and wit, and his books are a joy to read. I love
The Lost Prince.
The Little Book made such an impression on me;
The Lost Prince is even better.” -Garth Stein, author of
The Art of Racing in the RainReview
Praise for Selden Edwards and The Lost Prince: “Brilliant. Selden Edwards is a writer of great intellect and wit, and his books are a joy to read. I love The Lost Prince. The Little Book made such an impression on me; The Lost Prince is even better.”
-Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain
“I loved Selden Edwards’s first novel The Little Book and told everyone I knew about it. I just read his second novel The Lost Prince and think that Mr. Edwards has written his finest work so far. Once again, Selden Edwards demonstrates his mastery in blending together philosophy and art with the help of wonderful characters you fall in love with. The Lost Prince is a terrific second novel.”
-Pat Conroy
“The Lost Prince can stand independently of The Little Book… but why deprive yourself of the pleasures of reading both?”
— Booklist
"A powerful, intense, and fascinating read."
— Kirkus (starred review)
“Edwards’s bird’s-eye view of the details of this momentous age makes this companion piece as much fun as his debut.”
— Publishers Weekly
Praise for The Little Book:
“Back to the Future for the intellectual set.”
— Entertainment Weekly
“There's nothing small about Selden Edwards' debut novel, The Little Book -- not its scale, ambitions or back story.”
— USA Today
“A soaring thing of joy whose only purpose — and I mean this as a compliment — is to delight and entertain.”
— Maureen Corrigan, NPR
“Selden Edwards's impressive debut novel is richly-inventive, woven tightly with incident, and fully engaging. It is also superbly humane and readable.”
–Richard Ford
Synopsis
“
The Lost Prince can stand independently of
The Little Book … but why deprive yourself of the pleasures of reading both?” —
Booklist Recently returned from fin de siècle Vienna, where she tragically lost the first great love of her life, Eleanor Burden settles into her expected place in Boston society, marries a suitable husband, and waits for life to come to her. Eleanor’s story is not unlike that of the other young women she grew up with in 1890’s Boston, except for one difference: Eleanor believes herself to have advance knowledge of every major historical event to come in her lifetime. But soon Eleanor’s script of events begins to unravel, and she must find the courage of her deepest convictions, discover the difference between predetermination and free will, find faith in her own sanity, and decide whether she will allow history to unfold come what may — or use her extraordinary gifts to bend history and deliver the life she is meant to have.
About the Author
Selden Edwards began writing The Little Book as a young English teacher in 1974, and continued to layer and refine the manuscript until its completion in 2007. It is his first novel. He spent his career as headmaster at several independent schools across the country, and for over forty years has been secretary of his class at Princeton, where he also played basketball. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.