The History of Great Things (25 page)

“Elizabeth Crane has written a novel that is both unprecedented and fantastic (a word I mean in every sense). Without question, the unconventional narrative is compelling in a can't-stop-reading kind of way. But there's more to this book than a keen story cleverly told. Her every page thrums with wisdom, buzzes with truth. What did I learn after reading
The History of Great Things
? I learned that love survives death. And that no one ever really goes away, even if they have. And that all sides have many stories. And that we make our own happiness. This is unlike any novel I've ever encountered and it's absolutely wonderful.”

—Jill Alexander Essbaum, author of
Hausfrau

“I cannot remember the last time I simultaneously cried and laughed as hard as I did while reading Elizabeth Crane's glorious, tender knockout of a novel,
The History of Great Things
. Wait, yes, I can. It was the last time I spoke to my mom about life.”

—Amber Tamblyn, author of
Dark Sparkler

“Like everything Elizabeth Crane writes,
The History of Great Things
is wonderful fun to read—smart, insightful, and witty—but it will break your heart too. It stares down the poignant question so many daughters want to ask: ‘How well did my mother really know me?'”

—Pamela Erens, author of
Eleven Hours
and
The Virgins

“In her signature prose style, full of verve and wit, Elizabeth Crane unpacks the problematic relationship between mother and daughter that will resonate with anyone. By telling each other's stories, the mother and daughter in
The History of Great Things
reinvent each other, their relationship, and the possibility of empathy. You will cry, weep, and be glad you went along for this very particular beautiful and heartbreaking ride.”

—Emily Rapp Black, author of
The Still Point of the Turning World

“I've long been an admirer of Elizabeth Crane's absolutely unique voice—no one else working in contemporary American letters sounds quite like her. This is an important work, fearless in both structure and vision, with Crane's razor-edge fusion of intelligence, humor, and emotion informing every chapter. Get ready, world: this one's going to be huge.”

—Jamie Quatro, author of
I Want to Show You More

When the Messenger Is Hot

We Only Know So Much

You Must Be This Happy to Enter

All This Heavenly Glory

Cover design by Robin Bilardello

P.S.™ is a trademark of HarperCollins Publishers.

THE HISTORY OF GREAT THINGS.
Copyright © 2016 by Elizabeth Crane. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

FIRST EDITION

ISBN 978-0-06-241267-6

EPub Edition April 2016 ISBN 9780062412683

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