All That We Carried

"Bartels proves herself a master wordsmith and storyteller."--Library Journal, starred review

"This subdued tale of learning to forgive is Bartels's best yet."--Publishers Weekly

"A deeply personal, thoughtful exploration of dealing with pain and grief."--Life Is Story

"Taut and engaging."--Foreword

"A deftly crafted, entertaining, thought-provoking novel."--Midwest Book Reviews

***

Ten years ago, sisters Olivia and Melanie Greene were on a backcountry hiking trip when their parents were in a fatal car accident. Over the years, they grew apart, each coping with the loss in her own way. Olivia plunged herself into law school, work, and a materialist view of the world--what you see is what you get, and that's all you get. Melanie dropped out of college and developed an online life-coaching business around her cafeteria-style spirituality--a little of this, a little of that, whatever makes you happy.

Now, at Melanie's insistence (and against Olivia's better judgment), they are embarking on a hike in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. In this remote wilderness they'll face their deepest fears, question their most dearly held beliefs, and begin to see that perhaps the best way to move forward is the one way they had never considered.

Michigan Notable Book Award winner Erin Bartels draws from personal experience hiking backcountry trails with her sister to bring you a story about the complexities of grief, faith, and sisterhood.

Author: Erin Bartels
Publisher: Fleming H. Revell Company
Published: 01/05/2021
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9780800738365


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 11/09/2020
Library Journal 12/01/2020 pg. 85

About the Author
Erin Bartels is the award-winning author of We Hope for Better Things (2020 Michigan Notable Book, 2020 WFWA Star Award-winner, 2019 Christy Award finalist), The Words between Us (2020 Christy Award finalist, 2015 WFWA Rising Star Award finalist), and All That We Carried. Her short story, "This Elegant Ruin," was a finalist in the Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction Contest in 2014, and her poetry has been published by The Lyric. A publishing professional for 19 years, she is the director of WFWA's annual writers retreat in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She lives in Lansing, Michigan, with her husband, Zachary, and their son. Find her online at www.erinbartels.com.