The 20th century has crashed to its conclusion, dragging in its wake her love for computer whiz Artie Freeman. Now alone in only her frothy undergarments, her blue taffeta dress heaped in a champagne-splotched ruin, brokenhearted Louise jabs her vein with a dull cake knife. But perhaps realizing that Artie isn't worth the pain, she resorts to the rebellious gesture of many a contemporary heroine and, instead of hacking her wrists, hacks off her hair. With masterly artistry, Howard frames this century's finish by paying homage to that arcane map of information, the almanac. The announcement of Mendel's great discovery and the founding of the New York Stock Exchange share the day, an occurrence which you will recognize, Devoted Readers of Almanacs.
Almanac is about occurrence.
Occurrence is all. Between its reliable yellow covers, Almanac is system and anti-system. A bible for our days. Spanning a winter of discontent and a greening spring, the novel hinges on romantic identity and the delicate way we fashion it from our collective history. Told in pastiche style and illustrated with images from the zodiac, Poor Richard's and The Old Farmer's almanacs, this latest work from the award-winning author of Natural History and Expensive Habits impresses with its range of characters and sharply observed detail.