On a remote island off the coast of Maine in 1898, three young women discover a scholar’s body dashed against the forbidden cliffs. Ancient libraries and heirloom apple orchards lead them to a secret tracing back through time to the paradise gardens of antiquity.
The Library of Lost Trees is a melding of mystery, botany, and an unexpected view on the mythology of the Garden of Eden. The novel arose out of research into the origins of the Hardy Women's Society and the independent women who founded the great ladies' club at the turn of the century. |
The Library of Lost Trees is a fictionalized account of the founding of the HWS in 1898. HWS members and mother-and-daughter team Kerry Eilleen and Amanda Kooser wrote the novel after delving into the primary-source records held in a special archive at Tremlett College on Antheia Island near Maine. Many of the documents hadn't been touched since they were first cataloged and filed away decades ago.
"The lives these young women led were extraordinary," says Amanda. "I don't want to give away any spoilers, but the adventures they went through in 1898 involved mysterious deaths, unusual apple trees, and a stunning secret hidden on the island. We're very fortunate that Ada Gentry, Bunny, and Georgia all kept exhaustive records of their undertakings." |