Literature has an amazing power to bring people together, to connect strangers by touching on life experiences that we can all relate to. In that spirit, the Wayne County Public Library sponsors Wayne County Reads each year. Ever since the first Wayne County Reads in 2003, it’s always been a success—and this year looks to be no different.
As is customary, Wayne County residents will be encouraged to read the same book within the same amount of time and then attend public events centered on the book. Walking across Egypt will be the focus of this year’s Wayne County Reads, having been chosen by the community by way of a ballot.
Walking across Egypt is the story of Mattie Rigsby, a 78-year-old widow that lives in Listre, North Carolina. She is “slowing down” and spends her time supporting her church and playing hymns on a piano. Mattie has accepted the fact that she doesn’t have much time left and has already made arrangements for her burial so as to not be a burden on her family.
But despite the fact that she is ready to bow out gracefully, Mattie regrets one thing—she has never had any grandchildren. Her adult children have never married (despite the encouragement from their mother), and it’s unlikely they ever will.
When a stray dog shows up at her home, Mattie calls the town dogcatcher, feeling that caring for the dog is a responsibility she is unable to accept. But when she learns of the dogcatcher’s nephew—a young man named Wesley who was raised in an orphanage and is now in a reformatory school—Mattie feels compelled to care for the young man. She visits him, bringing him food, and makes an impression on him such that he escapes the school and seeks her out, hoping that she will take him in. Mattie discovers that she needs the challenge and sense of purpose that Wesley brings just as much as he needs her love and attention, and against the advice of her children she takes him in.
This novel is Edgerton’s second, and has been consistently well-reviewed. Thomas L. Kilpatrick of Library Journal has called it “a beautiful story of determination, made more poignant by a Southern small-town setting.” Kirkus Reviews call it “an unpretentious, deceptively slight, and perfectly-toned comic novel” while praising Edgerton’s ability to inspire his readers with “a laughable comedy that hits the mark and lingers.”
Clyde Edgerton is from Bethesda, a small community outside of Durham, North Carolina. He attended UNC Chapel Hill where he majored in English and learned to fly a small plane while participating in the Air Force ROTC program. After graduation, her served for five years in the Air Force and then completed a Master’s degree in English. While teaching at his old high school, he completed a doctoral program and started writing in 1978. He has won numerous fellowships and awards, including five notable book awards from the New York Times. To learn more about Clyde Edgerton and his works, visit his official website at www.clydeedgerton.com.
As the kick-off time for Wayne County Reads draws nearer, the Library will begin announcing events that tie-in to the themes, setting, and characters of Walking across Egypt. Events in the past have included lectures, panel discussions, film showings, and stage productions. As usual, the Library will be ordering extra copies of Walking across Egypt for readers to check out; the book will also be available for purchase at the Goldsboro Books-A-Million.
Be sure to check back regularly on the Library’s website and blog—as well as at the Library itself—for more updates.
