This book was given to me by a friend who said she thought I would like it. I was surprised how wonderful this book was and how much I really loved it. Tender and exquisite!! Such great characters, writing, and flow, as well as depth to the actual story. Careful thought about what is a life well lived?

A fictionalized account of an Idaho man who was given a year to live in the 1920's due to to TRB. He moved to just outside Fairhope, Alabama and built himself an unconventional home, which still exists. Greg and I found it on our way back from the beach last weekend. Very cool! He ended up living another twenty years.

A lot of play-by-play narration, which does make one stay present in the moment... part of the protagonist's philosophy, I suppose. After the first 100 pages, I started skimming.

Interesting story. Tediously and pretentiously written; with obvious stabs at profundity.
Too much padding, talking, philosophizing, details about building.
Might have made a sweet short story.

I had never heard of this book or author before visiting Fairhope recently. We stopped to take a look at the little round hut from recommendations on most interesting points of interest. It was quite fascinating to see and step into this hut Henry Stuart built almost 100 years ago! I loved the story and the central truths of living and dying in this part novel based on a real man ; he learns he has consumption and doesn’t have long to live. He lives in Idaho and his dr suggested maybe living in a warmer climate might help. Then he researches and finds a few places and chooses Fairhope Alabama. I really enjoyed this book learning the story behind the little hobbit round house in the middle of a business parking lot! Readers may be more inclined to read this if ever visited the area and or seen the round house. With that being said the writing was captivating and I’m likely to check out more of this authors other works.

Well, I live in Fairhope AL and have been to the actual "Hermit House" so it was interesting to read a fictionalized account of the real life Henry Stuart. Not sure how others will react; the writing is very good and flows pretty fast.

Solid 3.5

When retired philosophy professor Henry Stuart learns he is dying, he decides to leave his home of Idaho - and his boots - behind, traveling barefoot to Fairhope, Alabama to live out the remaining year of his life in a small colony. Inspired by the writings of Tolstoy, Henry espouses his beliefs on organized religion, the value of hard work, and how we treat one another. He also weaves in lessons from Buddhist monks and Black Elk of the Lakota people.

Known as "the hermit of Fairhope", he's more the poet of Tolstoy Park, a tract of land he named and built a round hut upon, with a bed high in the air requiring a ladder to access. Henry is eccentric, yes, but his diagnosis - and the recent death of his wife - have brought him to reassess what matters and he is determined to make the best of the time he has left. That means giving away his boots so he can feel his bare feet on the earth, working with his hands, and balancing a life of solitude with kindness to others.

The result, from a literary perspective, is more a character study than a plot-driven narrative. At times, the story moves slowly, describing Henry's building of his hut with the same detail Thoreau dedicated to describing his natural experiences in Walden (definitely an inspiration for Brewer). Still, Henry is such a fascinating - and fascinated - man, it's an easy journey to take.

Actively disliked this dreary and boring story

An interesting tale based on fact about a widowed college professor who leaves his adult sons in Idaho in 1925 for the warmer clime of Fairhope, Alabama thinking he has only months to live. Instead, he recovers and thrives.

A solid 4* book in my view, enjoyed it very much. Spoilers everywhere. I had a few things running around in my head that caused me some confusion while reading this book. (Perhaps my medication?) I kept mixing the personas and views of Henry Stuart (the protagonist), Henry George (the founder of Fair Hope), Sonny Brewer (the author) and Leo Tolstoy. I also kept thinking about singer/songwriter Neil Young (his song "Old Man") and Sweet Home Alabama ("Well, I hope Neil Young will remember, a southern man don't need him around anyhow.") I know it makes little sense but what can I say? The old man is 67 yr old Henry Stuart, a widower from Nampa, ID who decides to travel to Mobile Bay for his health. He has TB. In fact, his Nampa MD has advised him that he may only have a yr to live. He has decided to live his life w/o the benefit of a pair of shoes. I thought the whole "no shoes thing" to be kind of silly but it is part of the true story of Mr Stuart. It is very impt to remember that Sonny Brewer (author) did not have all the biographical facts about Henry S and he admits that a "little of the truth goes a long way" in this story and that 2/3 of the book comes from his imagination. It matters not to me. A good story is a good story. Anyway, Henry arrives at Fair Hope in the fall of 1925 and immediately takes possession of his ten acres and a barn. Soon thereafter he begins work on his round, concrete hut (14' in circumference). He wore one boot while shoveling out his foundation. Whatever. He becomes a bit morbid in his views regarding life and his new friends in AL (a southern man don't need him around anyhow). He pushes everyone away in his quest to go solo in life. Not a good idea for anyone. However, he pretty much has a near-death experience in the summer of '26 during a severe hurricane and he decides he wants to be a part of the community of men in Fair Hope. His health returns, a miracle?, he's not going to dwell on it one way or the other. He does continue life sans footwear but with a healthier outlook.

Why is this book good? I liked it for the story (again, a mixture of fact and fiction) and all the "philosophy of life" contained within the story. I liked that a 67 yr old man ("I'm a lot like you are") has the courage to pull up stakes, travel a long distance and begin a new life. He settles in his new home, returns to being a weaver of rugs and lives a good life (19 more yrs). Brewer works in some of the ideas of Socrates, St Francis, Whitman, Black Elk, Chief Seattle, Henry George, Rilkie, Dickinson, Oscar Wilde, Thoreau, Sherwood Anderson, Emerson, Wittenstein, Wallace Stevens, Frost, Tennyson and, of course, Mr Tolstoy. Henry named his 10 acres Tolstoy Park and his hut still stands and can be visited today. I don't get the hat and coat photo on the cover of the book. Very unlike Henry Stuart to to wear a hat (he gave his away in the book), however, not sure if he bothered with a coat. Looks kind of heavy for south Alabama.

I liked the popular Emily Dickinson quote, "Because I could not stop for Death ---- He kindly stopped for me." I also liked the Rilkie idea (from a poem) of "getting ahead of all parting." Sound advice that I have used myself. I did not know that Black Elk converted to catholicism. Interesting. I don't know much about Count Leo Tolstoy. I found a picture of him with no shoes. Umm. However, all this stuff about Count Tolstoy (born into big money) departing his home/estate/wife/family under the cover of darkness to become a "walkabout" seems to me a bit overblown. Heck, he was 82 yrs old and died less than two weeks after "running away from home." I'm afraid I've pretty much confined my reading to American authors, probably a mistake but it's kind of like not wearing shoes. It's just what I do. I hope to visit Mobile Bay, Fair Hope, Tolstoy Park and the Under the Transom Book Store at my first opportunity. Good job Mr. Brewer. I trust you wear shoes. The place is full of moccasins.

This would be a good one for our book group.