Reviews
Praise for Elizabeth Hardinger: “A coming-of-age story layered with the pain of being labeled an outsider… Told with heartbreaking emotion, Hardinger’s novel captures the quiet resilience and determination of a young girl who cannot fully make sense of herself or the world but still hopes to be accepted and loved.” – Library Journal on Won’t Be Long Now ""The characters in this story are vividly portrayed, with nuanced, complex personalities. The resilience and strength of the narrator will stay with readers long after they've finished."" —Publishers Weekly on All the Forgivenesses ""A wrenching read...this book stayed with me for a long time because it so vividly brings to life how poverty and lack of choice so profoundly affect a person."" —Historical Novels Review on All the Forgivenesses ""The author pulls no punches detailing the hardships of life on a Kansas farm at the turn of the twentieth century. What starts out as a tale of hardscrabble historical fiction turns into an uplifting story of forgiveness and grace."" —Booklist on All the Forgivenesses ""This emotional story of deep hardship is told in Bertie's distinct voice and is recommended for readers who enjoyed Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell and Jane Hamilton's The Book of Ruth."" —Library Journal on All the Forgivenesses ""Not since Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone and Bonnie Jo Campbell's Once Upon a River have I met such an original, strong young woman, full of resourcefulness, passion, and courage, dedicated to saving her family no matter the personal sacrifice. This is an extraordinary, unforgettable novel, with a haunting voice that follows you into your dreams at night."" —Jonis Agee, award-winning author of The River Wife and The Bones of Paradise on All the Forgivenesses ""Equal parts tender and brutal, All the Forgivenesses is a rich, exquisite novel."" —Alex George, author of A Good American ""It won't take a page to know this is an abiding story told in an utterly captivating voice. I fell into this novel in a way I've only experienced when reading Kaye Gibbons, Louise Erdrich, Dorothy Allison, and Alice Walker. The sense of place and time, of family, guilt, grief, and love are so richly layered, reading All the Forgivenesses is mesmerizing. No one writes like Hardinger. Thank goodness she does."" —Sandra Scofield, National Book Award finalist for Beyond Deserving ""Composed with unassuming wisdom and grace, All the Forgivenesses is an exhilarating testament to the human spirit. You'll fall in love with the remarkable Bertie, whose unwavering loyalty to family delivers her a life rich with meaning and hard-won transcendence. A captivating debut by an exciting new voice in fiction."" —Wayne Harrison, author of The Spark and the Drive
Praise for All the Forgivenesses ""The characters in this story are vividly portrayed, with nuanced, complex personalities. The resilience and strength of the narrator will stay with readers long after they've finished."" —Publishers Weekly ""A wrenching read...this book stayed with me for a long time because it so vividly brings to life how poverty and lack of choice so profoundly affect a person."" —Historical Novels Review ""The author pulls no punches detailing the hardships of life on a Kansas farm at the turn of the twentieth century. What starts out as a tale of hardscrabble historical fiction turns into an uplifting story of forgiveness and grace."" —Booklist ""This emotional story of deep hardship is told in Bertie's distinct voice and is recommended for readers who enjoyed Winter's Bone by Daniel Woodrell and Jane Hamilton's The Book of Ruth."" —Library Journal ""Not since Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone and Bonnie Jo Campbell's Once Upon a River have I met such an original, strong young woman, full of resourcefulness, passion, and courage, dedicated to saving her family no matter the personal sacrifice. This is an extraordinary, unforgettable novel, with a haunting voice that follows you into your dreams at night."" —Jonis Agee, award-winning author of The River Wife and The Bones of Paradise ""Equal parts tender and brutal, All the Forgivenesses is a rich, exquisite novel."" —Alex George, author of A Good American ""It won't take a page to know this is an abiding story told in an utterly captivating voice. I fell into this novel in a way I've only experienced when reading Kaye Gibbons, Louise Erdrich, Dorothy Allison, and Alice Walker. The sense of place and time, of family, guilt, grief, and love are so richly layered, reading All the Forgivenesses is mesmerizing. No one writes like Hardinger. Thank goodness she does."" —Sandra Scofield, National Book Award finalist for Beyond Deserving ""Composed with unassuming wisdom and grace, All the Forgivenesses is an exhilarating testament to the human spirit. You'll fall in love with the remarkable Bertie, whose unwavering loyalty to family delivers her a life rich with meaning and hard-won transcendence. A captivating debut by an exciting new voice in fiction."" —Wayne Harrison, author of The Spark and the Drive
Author Information
Elizabeth Hardinger is the author of novels and stories that explore the psychology and sociology of people who live in the Great Plains. Born and raised in Kansas, she holds a BA in English from McPherson College and an MFA from Wichita State University. She now lives with her husband in Eugene, OR, and can be found online at ElizabethHardinger.com.
