Brooks latest bestseller

Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks is the author of three New York Times bestselling novels and two works of non-fiction. It’s little wonder, then, that Brooks, in her latest novel, Caleb’s Crossing, has so successfully recreated another page-turning time and place.

Caleb’s Crossing is the story of Bethia, a missionary’s daughter, and Caleb, the son of an Indian chieftain. They first meet when Bethia’s father, a local minister of religion, visits the island (now known as Martha’s Vineyard) to try to convert the local Wampanoag people to Christianity. The friendship between Bethia and Caleb quickly blossoms as she helps him learn ‘the word’ (written English) and he reveals to her the secrets of the natural world. But this relationship must remain secret as it would be considered entirely improper for a girl in her early teens to have such a close acquaintance with a native. Bethia’s thirst for formal knowledge is as strong as Caleb’s. As a female, she is excluded from the daily lessons her less academic brother Makepeace receives from her father. And this exclusion only makes her more determined to learn, leading her to take more and more risks to gain an education.

The character of Caleb is based on Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, a Wompanaak Indian who graduated from Harvard in the 1660s. Caleb’s Crossing is a remarkable achievement for many reasons, somewhat reminiscent of the works of Jane Austen. In Bethia, Brooks has created a spirited heroine, all the more interesting for her flaws, and setbacks. She also sustains the language of the era with remarkable skill. For those who enjoy a thumping good read, this is our strong recommendation.

A well-researched glimpse of early American settlement

Geraldine Brooks
Fourth Estate
RRP $32.99