The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Brewer

February 1, 2011, 7 pm

In 1925, 67-year-old Henry Stuart’s doctor tells him he has only another year to live. In the hopes that a warmer climate will make his final months more comfortable, the retired and widowed professor moves from Idaho to Fairhope, Alabama. This debut novel is based on fact and introduces us to the eccentric Henry, who plans to live out his final days in simplicity and solitude. He buys land, builds a home, works to “perfect the soul awarded him,” and lives for another two decades. According to Booklist, “Fans of quiet, philosophical novels will find much to enjoy in Henry’s musings and revelations.”