Franklin Public Library Presents
Our community-wide reading initiative:
​
One book, one community
Spring 2025
​
What is "One Book, One Community?"
The goal of the Franklin Library’s One book, One Community program is to help build a better sense of fellowship through a shared reading experience.
​
What are we reading?
Beginning April 1, 2025, we'll be reading Save our Souls by Matthew Pearl.
Discription:
On December 10, 1887, a shark fishing boat disappeared. On board the doomed vessel were the Walkers—the ship’s captain Frederick, his wife Elizabeth, their three teenage sons, and their dog—along with the ship’s crew. The family had spotted a promising fishing location when a terrible storm arose, splitting their vessel in two and leaving those onboard adrift on the perilous sea.
When the castaways awoke the next morning, they discovered they had been washed ashore—on an island inhabited by a large but ragged and emaciated man who introduced himself as Hans. Hans appeared to have been there for a while and could quickly educate the Walkers and their crew on the island’s resources. But Hans had a secret . . . and as the Walker family gradually came to learn more, what seemed like a stroke of luck to have the mysterious man’s assistance became something ominous, something darker.
Like David Grann and Stacy Schiff, Matthew Pearl unveils one of the most incredible yet little-known historical true stories, and the only known instance in history of an actual family of castaways. Save Our Souls asks us to consider who we might become if we found ourselves trapped on a deserted island.
Where can I get a copy of this book?
There are many print copies available at the library and it is also available on Libby and through interlibrary loan.
About the author:
Matthew Pearl is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. His latest book is Save Our Souls, a work of narrative nonfiction. This follows the critically acclaimed nonfiction book, The Taking of Jemima Boone. He is the co-founder of the digital magazine Truly*Adventurous and his nonfiction writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, The Atavist Magazine, and Slate. His books have been international and New York Times bestsellers translated into more than 30 languages. The Globe and Mail declares him "a writer of rare talents," Library Journal calls Matthew "the reigning king of popular literary historical thrillers," and the New York Daily News raves "if the past is indeed a foreign country, Matthew Pearl has your passport." Matthew has been chosen Best Author for Boston Magazine's Best of Boston and received the Massachusetts Book Award for Fiction.
