The Poet of Tolstoy Park

February 14, 2005
A dying man's decision to move from Idaho to Alabama becomes a quixotic spiritual journey in Brewer's ruminative, idiosyncratic first novel, based on a true story. In 1925, widowed Henry Stuart learns that he has tuberculosis and will probably be dead within a year. Stuart's initial reaction is optimistic resignation, as he regards his illness as a final philosophical journey of reconciliation, one that sends him back through the writings of his beloved Tolstoy and other literary and spiritual figures to find solace and comfort. Despite the protests of his two sons and his best friend, he decides to move to the progressive town of Fairhope, Ala. There, he begins to build a round, domed cottage where he seeks to "learn in solitude how to save myself" and earns himself the sobriquet "the poet of Tolstoy Park." The plot, such as it is, runs out of steam when Brewer makes an ill-advised decision to jump forward in time in the last chapters, but the heady blend of literary and philosophical references and some fine character writing make this a noteworthy debut. Agent, Amy Rennert. (Mar.)

Forecast:
Book world support for Brewer—who owns Over the Transom Bookshop in Fairhope, Ala., and is the editor of the annual anthology of Southern writing,
Stories from the Blue Moon Café—will be strong, as evidenced by blurbs from Pat Conroy, Robert Morgan, Rick Bragg and Winston Groom. Six-city author tour.

November 1, 2004
Owner of Over the Transom bookstore, chair of the Fairhope Center for the Writing Arts, and editor of the annual Blue Moon Caf anthologies, Brewer has finally gotten around to writing a novel. He takes us back to 1925, when Henry Stuart is told he has only a year to live-a prediction he handily disproves. With an eight-city author tour.

Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2005
First-novelist Brewer chronicles the real-life journey of Henry Stuart, who, in 1925 at the age of 67, is diagnosed with consumption and told he only has a year to live. Henry decides to leave his home in Idaho and bid his two grown sons and best friend good-bye before his decline begins. Henry chooses a small plot of land in Fairhope, Alabama, as his final residence, and he corresponds with a man named Peter Stedman in order to get the supplies to build a house. On the train to Alabama, Henry gives his shoes away to a porter and determines to live out the rest of his days in solitude. But life might have other plans for him: on the final leg of his journey he meets a friendly schoolteacher named Kate, and Peter also seeks to develop a rapport with Henry. Henry tries to shut them all out until one life-altering night gives him a new perspective. Fans of quiet, philosophical novels will find much to enjoy in Henry's musings and revelations.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)