Five books set on Groundhog Day – A BookTrail Literary Tour
Travel Tuesday – Groundhog Day anyone?
Groundhog day falls this Saturday in the USA and Canada. It’s the day when people look to see if a groundhog comes out of its den and forms a shadow. A shadow means that winter will last for another six weeks. If there is not a shadow, spring will arrive early.
There’s a very popular film of the same name which more than helped to put the tradition and the town of where it originated on the map, but what about the books?
Which books either mark, illustrate or allude to this kind of day?
Books set on Groundhog day
Five books set on Groundhog Day – A BookTrail Literary Tour
England
BookTrail Travel via The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle – Stu Turton
This very book looks at a man who wakes up in a different body each day. His goal is to try and find out who murdered one of the guests at a dinner party. The party takes place in one manor hour in the middle of the English countryside. It’s remote, surrounded by woodland and inside the house, there’s a very interesting cast of characters. But can he, as he repeats the day over and over again, ever hope of solving and even saving the woman about to die?
England, Germany
BookTrail Travel via Life after Life- Kate Atkinson
During a snowstorm in England in 1910, a baby is born and dies before she can take her first breath. During a snowstorm in England in 1910, the same baby is born and lives to tell the tale.
This book takes the groundhog/trick of time theory and puts a new spin on it – a second chance at life. What if there were second chances? And third chances? In fact an infinite number of chances to live your life? What would you do and who would you be? Interesting questions raised in this book!
Berwick upon Tweed, worldwide
BookTrail Travel via The First Fifteen Lives of Harry North
Now here’s a book which really looks into the whole time travel theory. Harry is a “kalachakra”, a person who relives their life from birth to death multiple times. He is also able to retain the memories and knowledge gathered during their previous lives. What would you do in this situation? Do you try and correct past wrongs? Kill Hitler or save JFK? A slow paced read but one which explores all of these issues and more.
And finally…
Two books about the Groundhog himself… set in the place the day first originated..Punxsutawney, PA
Go To Sleep Groundhog
When Groundhog is unable to sleep, he experiences autumn and winter holidays he never knew about, and then he finally falls asleep before Groundhog Day.
Groundhog Day!: Shadow or No Shadow
The importance of that all important shadow…
How ever you spend the day – enjoy one of these books!
