{"product_id":"the-book-of-speculation-paperback","title":"The Book of Speculation - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eErika Swyler\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eOne of BuzzFeed's Best Fiction Books of the Year \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e**Includes a bonus short story, \"The Mermaid Girl\"**\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the tradition of Sara Gruen's \u003ci\u003eWater for Elephants, \u003c\/i\u003eErin Morgenstern's \u003ci\u003eThe Night Circus, \u003c\/i\u003eand Elizabeth Kostova's \u003ci\u003eThe Historian, The Book of Speculation\u003c\/i\u003e--with two-color illustrations by the author--is Erika Swyler's moving debut novel about the power of books, family, and magic.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eSimon Watson, a young librarian, lives alone in a house that is slowly crumbling toward the Long Island Sound. His parents are long dead. His mother, a circus mermaid who made her living by holding her breath, drowned in the very water his house overlooks. His younger sister, Enola, ran off six years ago and now reads tarot cards for a traveling carnival. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOne June day, an old book arrives on Simon's doorstep, sent by an antiquarian bookseller who purchased it on speculation. Fragile and water damaged, the book is a log from the owner of a traveling carnival in the 1700s, who reports strange and magical things, including the drowning death of a circus mermaid. Since then, generations of \"mermaids\" in Simon's family have drowned--always on July 24, which is only weeks away. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAs his friend Alice looks on with alarm, Simon becomes increasingly worried about his sister. Could there be a curse on Simon's family? What does it have to do with the book, and can he get to the heart of the mystery in time to save Enola?\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eERIKA SWYLER is a graduate of New York University and the author of the bestselling novels \u003ci\u003eLight from Other Stars\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Book of Speculation\u003c\/i\u003e. Her essays and short fiction have appeared in Literary Hub, Catapult Story, VIDA, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, and elsewhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 384\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.3 x 8.2 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e May 31, 2016\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52585871278373,"sku":"9781250055637","price":19.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0987\/2487\/2485\/files\/qh3OiqeKp79781250055637.webp?v=1781604189","url":"https:\/\/c4lhome.com\/products\/the-book-of-speculation-paperback","provider":" Companion for Life Five Home","version":"1.0","type":"link"}