First of all, I LOVED this book, and the more I think about it, the more I love it. I was saddened to see that Oprah chose THE STORY OF EDWARD SAWTELLE for her book club since I feel it cheapens the book. Oprah’s books are for the most part, so mundane and ordinary, and THIS book is anything BUT. It is interesting to see the short, nasty comments from people who evidently read Oprah’s selections. Very nasty. Most of them didn’t even read the book, or read it and didn’t “get” it.

I am also surprised to see that Oprah has her own page for this book; is this page for readers of Oprah’s books only? Because THE STORY OF EDWARD SAWTELLE has had it’s OWN page at Amazon since its publication, with hundreds of reviews, most of them good to excellent. This is weird. Oprah seems to be an entity which does not include any but her own.

This is an extraordinary book, full of love and full of characters who have a huge capacity for love, for learning, for living. The premise may come from HAMLET, but this is a book in a category all its own, and is true literature.

From a comment the author made about the lack of “a boy and his dog” books, I read THE CALL OF THE WILD after this book, and THAT is also a fabulous piece of literature. I sobbed in certain sections of both books, and actually was afraid, at first, that I would not be able to read a book about dogs because of my deep love and respect for them, but these two books are so beautifully written, and timeless, that it was a pleasure to read them. They have become a part of me.

Please, people, do not be put off by the nasty notes appearing here. This is a remarkable book, certain to win all sorts of literary prizes, full of the stuff of life and so beautifully written that it will stay with you long after the last page.

Tags: David Wroblewski, Wroblewski