Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2011
272 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Timothy Schaffert has created his most memorable character yet in Essie, an octogenarian obituary writer for her family's small town newspaper. When a young country girl is reported to be missing, perhaps whisked away by an itinerant aerial photographer, Essie stumbles onto the story of her life. Or, it all could be simply a hoax, or a delusion, the child and child-thief invented from the desperate imagination of a lonely, lovelorn woman. Either way, the story of the girl reaches far and wide, igniting controversy, attracting curiosity-seekers and cult worshippers from all over the country to this dying rural town. And then it is revealed that the long awaited final book of an infamous series of ya gothic novels is being secretly printed on the newspaper's presses.
The Coffins of Little Hope tells a feisty, energetic story of characters caught in the intricately woven webs of myth, legend and deception even as Schaffert explores with his typical exquisite care and sharp eye the fragility of childhood, the strength of family, the powerful rumor mills of rural America, and the sometimes dramatic effects of pop culture on the way we shape our world.
"Starred Review. Schaffert spins out the story and its offbeat characters with compassion, spoofing the nation's voracious appetite for 'news'... Piercing observations and sharp, subtle wit make this a standout." - Publishers Weekly
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
©timothyschaffert.com
Timothy Schaffert grew up on a farm in Nebraska and now lives in Omaha. He is the author of The Swan Gondola as well as four previous critically acclaimed novels, which have been among Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selections, Indie Next Picks, and New York Times Editor's Choices. Schaffert teaches creative writing and literature at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Link to Timothy Schaffert's Website
Name Pronunciation
Timothy Schaffert: sch-Aff-ert
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