“From one of America’s most beloved storytellers, a brilliant tapestry of love and faith, memory and imagination, that asks the question, what does it mean to look back and accept one’s place in history? In 1971, Harley Mann revisits his youth and recounts the story of his family’s relocation to the swamplands of Florida—just a few miles from what would become Disney World—to join a community of Shakers.” > “Harley Mann begins recording his life story on tape in 1971, recalling his youth at the start of the twentieth century. After his father's sudden death, his family migrated to Florida to join a utopian Shaker colony. Under the leadership of Elder John, a generous man with a mysterious past, the colony dedicated itself to hard work, faith, and charity, rejecting all temptations from the outside world. While this way of life initially saved Harley and his family from ruin, Harley’s loyalty to the Shakers and their conservative worldview began to waver when he fell in love with Sadie Pratt, a tubercular orphan who lived at the colony, leading to a wrenching rupture.” > “As Harley dictates his story across the decades—reflecting on youth, the ever-changing landscape of Florida, and the search for an American utopia—truths about Sadie, Elder John, and the Shaker community come to light, illuminating both the past and the present. With his keen eye and stunning vision, Russell Banks delivers a wholly engrossing portrait of a man navigating Americana and the passage of time.”
