Third Thursday Book Discussion – A Semester of Debut Novels

Spill, Simmer, Falter, Wither by Sara Baume is the first of six debut novels we will be discussing.

“A debut novel already praised as “unbearably poignant and beautifully told” (Eimear McBride) this captivating story follows — over the course of four seasons — a misfit man who adopts a misfit dog. It is springtime, and two outcasts — a man ignored, even shunned by his village, and the one-eyed dog he takes into his quiet, tightly shuttered life — find each other, by accident or fate, and forge an unlikely connection. As their friendship grows, their small, seaside town suddenly takes note of them, falsely perceiving menace where there is only mishap; the unlikely duo must take to the road. Gorgeously written in poetic and mesmerizing prose, Spill Simmer Falter Wither has already garnered wild support in its native Ireland, where the Irish Times pointed to Baume’s “astonishing power with language” and praised it as “a novel bursting with brio, braggadocio and bite.” It is also a moving depiction of how — over the four seasons echoed in the title — a relationship between fellow damaged creatures can bring them both comfort. One of those rare stories that utterly, completely imagines its way into a life most of us would never see, it transforms us not only in our understanding of the world, but also of ourselves. “– Provided by publisher

Discussion led by Tiffany Ehle. Third Thursday is open to all, no sign up necessary. Reserve your book at the adult circulation desk or online.

This program is supported in part by a grant from the Deerfield Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council a state agency.