The Poet of Tolstoy Park

The Poet of Tolstoy Park
Author	Sonny Brewer
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Biographical novel
Publisher	Ballantine
Publication date	2005
Pages	254
ISBN	978-0-345-47631-9
OCLC	57706901
Dewey Decimal	813/.6 22
LC Class	PS3602.R48 P64 2005
Followed by	A Sound Like Thunder

Last updated February 28, 2019

The Poet of Tolstoy Park is the 2005 debut novel of Sonny Brewer, published by Ballantine.^[1] The novel, inspired by the life of Henry Stuart, who moved from Idaho to Alabama in the 1920s after being told incorrectly that he had a year to live, has made Stuart's Alabama home a site of pilgrimage for its readers. The book has been optioned for a film and as of 2007 was in pre-production.

Debut novel first published by an author

A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to publish in the future. First-time novelists without a previous published reputation, such as publication in nonfiction, magazines, or literary journals, typically struggle to find a publisher.

Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a pair of mirrored letter Bs back to back. The firm's early editors were Stanley Kauffmann and Bernard Shir-Cliff.

Idaho is a state in the northwestern region of the United States. It borders the state of Montana to the east and northeast, Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington and Oregon to the west. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canadian border with the province of British Columbia. With a population of approximately 1.7 million and an area of 83,569 square miles (216,440 km²), Idaho is the 14th largest, the 12th least populous and the 7th least densely populated of the 50 U.S. states. The state's capital and largest city is Boise.

Plot

The book begins in Nampa, Idaho, with Henry Stuart having just learned that he has one to two years to live because he has non-contagious tuberculosis. Told he will be more comfortable in a warmer climate, Stuart leaves his two grown sons to relocate to Fairhope, Alabama. When he arrives, he finds that the land he has purchased sight unseen hosts only a barn. He decides to build a house, on property he names "Tolstoy Park" in honor of Leo Tolstoy, who had himself become a wandering ascetic in the months before his death. An amateur poet and an eccentric, Stuart sheds his materialism for a life of contemplation, one which extends much longer than Stuart expected.

Nampa is the largest city of Canyon County, Idaho. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census and, as of 2018, is the third-most populous city in Idaho. Nampa is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles (10 km) west of Meridian. Nampa is the second principal city of the Boise-Nampa metropolitan area. The name "Nampa" may have come from a Shoshoni word meaning either moccasin or footprint or, as a local historian Joe Bell theorizes, the name is an acronym for North American Meat Packers Association.

Tuberculosis infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections do not have symptoms, in which case it is known as latent tuberculosis. About 10% of latent infections progress to active disease which, if left untreated, kills about half of those affected. The classic symptoms of active TB are a chronic cough with blood-containing sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. It was historically called "consumption" due to the weight loss. Infection of other organs can cause a wide range of symptoms.

Fairhope is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States, on a sloping plateau, along the cliffs and shoreline of Mobile Bay. The 2010 census lists the population of the city as 15,326. Fairhope is a principal city of the Daphne-Fairhope-Foley micropolitan area, which includes all of Baldwin County. In 2016, Fairhope was named the best small town in the South by Southern Living magazine.

Background

When Sonny Brewer, then a real estate agent, saw a small, round concrete hut sitting adjacent to a parking lot in Fairhope, Alabama in the 1980s, he became curious to know who had built it and why.^[2] Several old newspaper articles filled him in on the history of Henry Stuart, an Idahoan who was informed by his doctors in the early 1920s that he had only a year to live. Stuart left two grown sons and moved to 10 acres (4.0 ha) of wilderness in Alabama on which he built by himself a hurricane-proof concrete shelter. The shelter, which was built in about two weeks more than a year in 1925 and 1926, was set 16 inches (41 cm) into the ground on which it was constructed, lending to a comfortable, stable temperature of the floor—the 14 feet (4.3 m) diameter of which was a perfect match to the highest point of the roof.^[2] In his late 60s, Stuart climbed a ladder to reach his bed, a hammock strung 10 feet (3.0 m) above the ground.^[2] Brewer was fascinated by the story of the eccentric Stuart, who lived in his hut for 18 years convinced he was on the brink of death before relocating, finally dying in Oregon in 1946 at the age of 88.^[2]

Real estate is "property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this (also) an item of real property, buildings or housing in general. Also: the business of real estate; the profession of buying, selling, or renting land, buildings, or housing." It is a legal term used in jurisdictions whose legal system is derived from English common law, such as India, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, United States, Canada, Pakistan, Australia, and New Zealand.

Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with roads, pipelines or other industrial infrastructure." The term has traditionally referred to terrestrial environments, though growing attention is being placed on marine wilderness. Recent maps of wilderness suggest it covers roughly one quarter of Earth's terrestrial surface, but is being rapidly degraded by human activity. Even less wilderness remains in the ocean, with only 13.2% free from intense human activity.

Hammock sling used for swinging, sleeping or resting

A hammock is a sling made of fabric, rope, or netting, suspended between two or more points, used for swinging, sleeping, or resting. It normally consists of one or more cloth panels, or a woven network of twine or thin rope stretched with ropes between two firm anchor points such as trees or posts. Hammocks were developed by native inhabitants of Central and South America for sleeping. Later, they were used aboard ships by sailors to enable comfort and maximize available space, and by explorers or soldiers travelling in wooded regions. Eventually, in the 1920s, parents throughout North America used fabric hammocks to contain babies just learning to crawl. Today they are popular around the world for relaxation; they are also used as a lightweight bed on camping trips. The hammock is often seen as a symbol of summer, leisure, relaxation and simple, easy living.

Brewer was on the verge of bankruptcy when he learned Ballentine had purchased his novel about Stuart's life, only 20 pages of which were complete, for $100,000.00.^[2] He rented and set about restoring the hut while writing the novel, moving into it to live—like Stuart—barefoot during its revision.^[2]

Bankruptcy is a legal status of a person or other entity who cannot repay debts to creditors. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor.

Aftermath

Even during Stuart's occupancy, the hut was often visited. Stuart, otherwise a hermit, kept a logbook signed by 1,200 guests, including Clarence Darrow.^[2] After the book was published, its readers began visiting the hut as well, with 2,000 people in one year signing the logbook left by Brewer, some spending the night inside.^[2] In 2006, the hut was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[3]

Clarence Seward Darrow was an American lawyer, a leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, and a prominent advocate for Georgist economic reform. He defended high-profile clients in many famous trials of the early 20th century, including teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb for murdering 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks (1924); teacher John T. Scopes in the Scopes "Monkey" Trial (1925), in which he opposed statesman and orator William Jennings Bryan; and Ossian Sweet in a racially charged self-defense case (1926). Called a "sophisticated country lawyer", Darrow's wit and eloquence made him one of the most prominent attorneys and civil libertarians in the nation.

National Register of Historic Places federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred preserving the property.

The novel has been optioned for a film and as of 2007 was in pre-production.^[4] The film is being produced by David Bushell,^{[ needs update ]} producer of Slingblade and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, with a screenplay adapted by Tom Epperson ^{[ needs update ]} in collaboration with Brewer.^[5]

Tom Epperson is an American author and screenwriter, known for his collaborations with Billy Bob Thornton.

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References

↑ Huntley, Kristine (2005-02-15). "Brewer, Sonny. The Poet of Tolstoy Park". Booklist . Retrieved 2009-05-15.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 St. John, Warren (2006-05-07). "A Hermit's Refuge Is Now a Writer's Muse". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service.
↑ Lazenby, David (2007-10-12). "'Big Fish' author to speak at Larkwood Club". The Cullman Times. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
↑ "Movie update". Sonny Brewer's official website. Retrieved 2009-05-15.

External links

Interview with the author about the book, WBHM
Author's website, including photographs of Stuart and Tolstoy Park

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[1] Huntley, Kristine (2005-02-15). "Brewer, Sonny. The Poet of Tolstoy Park". Booklist . Retrieved 2009-05-15.

[NYT-2] 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 St. John, Warren (2006-05-07). "A Hermit's Refuge Is Now a Writer's Muse". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-05-15.

[National_Register-3] National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service.

[4] Lazenby, David (2007-10-12). "'Big Fish' author to speak at Larkwood Club". The Cullman Times. Retrieved 2009-05-15.

[5] "Movie update". Sonny Brewer's official website. Retrieved 2009-05-15.