Book Review: The Story She Left Behind - Highly Recommend

Seeing the buzz, I put my name on the hold list for Patti Callahan Henry's book, The Story She Left Behind. Although I've heard of this author, I had never read one of her books. My impetus to read quickened when I learned she was speaking at a library event south of Indianapolis. I snagged a ticket to the event and plunged in, reading the book in 3 days. What a great book! It deserves its recognition as an instant New York Times Bestseller. What a fantastic opportunity! I loved the reading and the author talk.

When she was eight, Clara Harrington's author mother disappeared. Now, twenty-five years later, her divorce propels her to return to live in her childhood home with her dad and her eight-year-old daughter, Wynnie. The mother hunger lingers. Then, she receives a phone call from a stranger named Charlie in England who claims to have found her mother's papers in his deceased father's study. Clara and Wynnie cross the ocean and arrive just as London is shrouded in the fog of the Great Smog. They flee London with Charlie, heading for his home in the Lake District. Can they, together, solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance? Will they learn why Charlie's father had the papers?

It is always a privilege to hear firsthand tidbits about an author's journey. Plus, it enhances the reading. For example, I was surprised to learn that this story is actually based on a true literary mystery. It weaves together small details from one author's disappearance with tidbits from the life of Beatrix Potter. If you read the novel, do not neglect the author's note at the end. It explains which parts are drawn from history and which parts are improvised to complete the story. This was an easy read and the pages fell away. I immediately recommended it to a friend with a special love of Beatrix Potter. When I told Jen about the book, she was already familiar with Potter's personally-created language. This was all new to me.

I loved hearing about Patti Callahan Henry's journey into the rabbit trails of her research. While reading The Story She Left Behind, I felt Wynnie's character seemed precocious beyond belief. Then, I attended the talk, and learned that the author whose disappearance led to Henry's novel was indeed that precocious as a child. The book emphasizes the importance of words and language. It addresses the difficulties we sometimes have when we cannot find the words to communicate what we wish to say.

The talk also whet my appetite to read more by this author. After talking about her book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, I decided to stick around, even though I had no book to sign. When my turn came, I eagerly asked if she had done research at the Marion E. Wade Center (where I worked, in my college years, transcribing C. S. Lewis' personal correspondence). She had! We talked briefly about Dr. Lyle Dorsett and his wife, Mary. She kindly took a photo with me before I dashed off to keep the line moving. Oh, how her wrists must have hurt by the end of the evening! I noticed many people in line carrying multiple copies of her books, all seeking a signature. I'm thrilled to have personally encountered this author and her book.

Wishing you had the privilege of attending one of Patti Callahan Henry's book talks? The author wrote an interesting article, on creating personal languages, for the Readers Digest web magazine. On her author website, you can read a blog post on live video interviews which aired on her Facebook page in February and March. Plus, her book was highlighted on the Friends and Fiction podcast. This is a podcast that she created, together with 3 other bestselling authors, to highlight and discuss books. Don't have an hour to get engrossed in this story? Well, here's a ten-minute interview with the author: