The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris (Published 2021)
"In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry—freed by the Emancipation Proclamation—seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle."
Set in the Georgia countryside in the weeks and months after the end of the Civil War, this debut novel tells the story of George Walker, who owns a farm the locals consider worthless, and his wife, Isabelle, who married him to escape her family's cruelty. When the Union Army sets up camp on their land to enforce Reconstruction, their quiet life is disrupted.
Into this tense situation comes a pair of brothers—Prentiss and Landry, recently freed from slavery—who ask George for work. The Walkers agree, and the two brothers begin living in a small cabin on the Walker land. But the sight of free Black men working the land brings out the worst in the local community, and when Prentiss suddenly goes missing, the tenuous peace is shattered.
As Isabelle, George, and Landry are forced to navigate the changing world around them, they must confront the ugly truths of the past and the uncertainty of the future. This powerful debut explores themes of freedom, love, loss, and the price of progress in a divided nation.
Winner of the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence and an Oprah's Book Club selection, this novel has been praised for its lyrical prose and unflinching examination of American history.
Published: 2021
Condition: Good - moderate wear, some page yellowing, all pages present
Format: Paperback
Perfect for fans of historical fiction and powerful storytelling!
