First published 2016
Charlie Whistler rummages through his family's Adirondack cabin on a drowsy summer afternoon. His fingers find a forgotten cloth-bound scrapbook buried under layers of dust. The Omnium Gatherum opens to reveal generations of collected wisdom from his father, grandfather, and countless Whistlers before them. Page after colorful page unfolds practical knowledge and fascinating details. Charlie learns to tie slipknots, navigate forest paths, predict changing tides, and speak basic phrases in foreign tongues. Each entry connects him to family members who once stood where he stands, who gathered these same lessons for future generations. The scrapbook becomes Charlie's bridge between childhood curiosity and adult understanding, between his modern world and the accumulated experience of his ancestors.
Genres: family, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, adventure
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intergenerational
Setting: Adirondack, Whistler Family Cabin
Period: Summer
272 pages · Hardcover · Harper