Richard Francis was educated at Cambridge andaHarvard. He has written 17 books, both fiction and nonfiction, including a number of books on Americanahistory and thought. His award-winning novels andabooks of nonfiction have been published by leadingahouses in London and New York, including FourthaEstate, Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, W.W.aNorton, Faber & Faber, and Pantheon. He and his wifealive in Bath.
Praise for Crane Pond
"Few have so nimbly conjured with Sewall and his silence as Richard
Francis, author of an excellent 2005 biography of the Salem
justice. [...] Now Francis has revisited the episode in a work of
fiction, arguably the closest a biographer comes to setting his
book to music. The quiet 'must haves' of the biography burst into
exuberant set pieces in the novel, Crane Pond."
--Stacy Schiff, The New York Review of Books "This is an
entertaining and stimulating novel, richly peopled, that brings
Salem, and the forms of belief that gave rise to it, to life with
freshness, energy, intelligence -- and with terrible and arresting
proximity."
--Spectator
"[Crane Pond] gives a complete world-picture, offers the reader an
alternative place to go and live for a time, and a new language to
speak. In short, it goes straight on to my (small) list of
historical novels that draw out the capacities of the form and
allow readers to brush against the pleasures and terrors of the
past."
--Hillary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall "I've loved diving deep into
the fascinating world of this book: Richard Francis manages to make
us feel its dailyness and it's strangeness both at once. Sewall's
gathering unease, as he realises he's made his terrible mistake, is
so brilliantly embodied in all the thick, foody, fleshly,
weather-ridden detail of his ordinary life."
--Tessa Hadley, author of The Past "Francis draws us into this
fascinating world with his particular brand of philosophical
questioning-he is concerned with clarity, precision and truth-and
his clean, humanising prose is a joy to read. A remarkable portrait
of Sewall at a critical moment in history."
--Nikita Lalwani, author of Gifted and The Village "Francis'
measured narration allows the suffering, piety, and tragic
delusions of events to emerge with clarity."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Crane Pond is fascinatingly engaging and thought provoking, the
best kind of storytelling."
--Shelf Awareness "Set in the time just before, during, and then
four years after the [Salem Witch] trials, this deftly crafted
novel perfectly balances issues of religion, faith, and law."
--Library Journal "In Crane Pond, Richard Francis creates a
nuanced, compassionate and fascinating portrait of Samuel Sewall,
the unwilling hanging judge.... But Francis does more: taking us
beyond the complacency with which we often view this iconic moment
in American history."
--Historical Novel Society
Praise for Richard Francis "The Whispering Gallery is beautifully
written . . . This is a piece of work that should not be
missed."
--Newgate Callendar, The New York Times
"[Taking Apart the Poco Poco is] a comic novel with a heart and
soul, the kind of book one always wants to read but can never
find."
--Nick Hornby, The Observer
"[Judge Sewall's Apology is] the most balanced and richly
contextualized account of the Salem trials currently in print."
--John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph
"Francis writes with rare elegance and a well-turned wit."
--Miranda Seymour, The Daily Telegraph
"In the reading business, one doesn't often come across a book one
wishes would never end; but this is precisely what exists in this
truly splendid novel."
--Katherine Powers, Boston Sunday Globe on Taking Apart the Poco
Poco"
Praise for Crane Pond
"This is an entertaining and stimulating novel, richly peopled,
that brings Salem, and the forms of belief that gave rise to it, to
life with freshness, energy, intelligence -- and with terrible and
arresting proximity."
--Spectator
"[Crane Pond] gives a complete world-picture, offers the reader an
alternative place to go and live for a time, and a new language to
speak. In short, it goes straight on to my (small) list of
historical novels that draw out the capacities of the form and
allow readers to brush against the pleasures and terrors of the
past."
--Hillary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall
"I've loved diving deep into the fascinating world of this book:
Richard Francis manages to make us feel its dailyness and it's
strangeness both at once. Sewall's gathering unease, as he realises
he's made his terrible mistake, is so brilliantly embodied in all
the thick, foody, fleshly, weather-ridden detail of his ordinary
life."
--Tessa Hadley, author of The Past
"Francis draws us into this fascinating world with his particular
brand of philosophical questioning-he is concerned with clarity,
precision and truth-and his clean, humanising prose is a joy to
read. A remarkable portrait of Sewall at a critical moment in
history."
--Nikita Lalwani, author of Gifted and The Village
"Francis' measured narration allows the suffering, piety, and
tragic delusions of events to emerge with clarity."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Crane Pond is fascinatingly engaging and thought provoking, the
best kind of storytelling."
--Shelf Awareness
"Set in the time just before, during, and then four years after the
[Salem Witch] trials, this deftly crafted novel perfectly balances
issues of religion, faith, and law."
--Library Journal
"In Crane Pond, Richard Francis creates a nuanced, compassionate
and fascinating portrait of Samuel Sewall, the unwilling hanging
judge.... But Francis does more: taking us beyond the complacency
with which we often view this iconic moment in American
history."
--Historical Novel Society
Praise for Richard Francis
"The Whispering Gallery is beautifully written . . . This is a
piece of work that should not be missed."
--Newgate Callendar, The New York Times
"[Taking Apart the Poco Poco is] a comic novel with a heart and
soul, the kind of book one always wants to read but can never
find."
--Nick Hornby, The Observer
"[Judge Sewall's Apology is] the most balanced and richly
contextualized account of the Salem trials currently in print."
--John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph
"Francis writes with rare elegance and a well-turned wit."
--Miranda Seymour, The Daily Telegraph
"In the reading business, one doesn't often come across a book one
wishes would never end; but this is precisely what exists in this
truly splendid novel."
--Katherine Powers, Boston Sunday Globe on Taking Apart the Poco
Poco"
Praise for Crane Pond
"I've loved diving deep into the fascinating world of this book:
Richard Francis manages to make us feel its dailyness and it's
strangeness both at once. Sewall's gathering unease, as he realises
he's made his terrible mistake, is so brilliantly embodied in all
the thick, foody, fleshly, weather-ridden detail of his ordinary
life."
Tessa Hadley, author of The Past
"Francis draws us into this fascinating world with his particular
brand of philosophical questioning he is concerned with clarity,
precision and truth and his clean, humanising prose is a joy to
read. A remarkable portrait of Sewall at a critical moment in
history."
Nikita Lalwani, author of Gifted and The Village
Francis' measured narration allows the suffering, piety, and tragic
delusions of events to emerge with clarity."
Kirkus Reviews
"Crane Pond is fascinatingly engaging and thought provoking, the
best kind of storytelling.
Shelf Awareness
"Set in the time just before, during, and then four years after the
[Salem Witch] trials, this deftly crafted novel perfectly balances
issues of religion, faith, and law."
Library Journal
Praise for Richard Francis
The Whispering Gallery is beautifully written . . . This is a piece
of work thatshould not be missed.
Newgate Callendar, The New York Times
[Taking Apart the Poco Poco is] a comic novel with a heart and
soul, the kindof book one always wants to read but can never
find.
Nick Hornby, The Observer
[Judge Sewall s Apology is] the most balanced and richly
contextualizedaccount of the Salem trials currently in print.
John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph
Francis writes with rare elegance and a well-turned wit.
Miranda Seymour, The Daily Telegraph
In the reading business, one doesn t often come across a book one
wisheswould never end; but this is precisely what exists in this
truly splendid novel.
Katherine Powers, Boston Sunday Globe on Taking Apart the Poco
Poco"
Praise for "Crane Pond
"
A finely crafted consideration of responsibility within a familiar
historical tale.
"Kirkus Reviews
"
Praise for Richard Francis
"The Whispering Gallery "is beautifully written . . . This is a
piece of work thatshould not be missed.
Newgate Callendar, "The New York Times
"
["Taking Apart the Poco Poco "is] a comic novel with a heart and
soul, the kindof book one always wants to read but can never
find.
Nick Hornby, "The Observer
"
["Judge Sewall s Apology "is] the most balanced and richly
contextualizedaccount of the Salem trials currently in print.
John Adamson, "Sunday Telegraph
"
Francis writes with rare elegance and a well-turned wit.
Miranda Seymour, "The Daily Telegraph
"
In the reading business, one doesn t often come across a book one
wisheswould never end; but this is precisely what exists in this
truly splendid novel.
Katherine Powers, "Boston Sunday Globe "on "Taking Apart the Poco
Poco""
Praise for Richard Francis
"The Whispering Gallery "is beautifully written . . . This is a
piece of work thatshould not be missed.
Newgate Callendar, "The New York Times
"
["Taking Apart the Poco Poco "is] a comic novel with a heart and
soul, the kindof book one always wants to read but can never
find.
Nick Hornby, "The Observer
"
["Judge Sewall s Apology "is] the most balanced and richly
contextualizedaccount of the Salem trials currently in print.
John Adamson, "Sunday Telegraph
"
Francis writes with rare elegance and a well-turned wit.
Miranda Seymour, "The Daily Telegraph
"
In the reading business, one doesn t often come across a book one
wisheswould never end; but this is precisely what exists in this
truly splendid novel.
Katherine Powers, "Boston Sunday Globe "on "Taking Apart the Poco
Poco""
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