In the aftermath of so much turmoil, it is Isabelle who emerges as an unlikely leader, proffering a healing vision for the land and for the newly free citizens of Old Ox. But when their secret is discovered, the resulting chaos, including a murder, unleashes convulsive repercussions on the entire community. The young men, recently returned from the war to the town of Old Ox, hold their trysts in the woods. Parallel to their story runs a forbidden romance between two Confederate soldiers. Prentiss and Landry, meanwhile, plan to save money for the journey north and a chance to reunite with their mother, who was sold away when they were boys. The Walkers, wracked by the loss of their only son to the war, hire the brothers to work their farm, hoping through an unexpected friendship to stanch their grief. In the waning days of the Civil War, brothers Prentiss and Landry-freed by the Emancipation Proclamation-seek refuge on the homestead of George Walker and his wife, Isabelle. To join the ranks of her previous selections is to have a dream come true.A profound debut about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever “For a generation, Oprah has been a committed advocate for authors, elevating their work and enlivening the literary landscape. “I’m so thrilled and honored to be chosen by Oprah’s Book Club,” Harris, a University of Oregon graduate and a former Michener Center fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a statement. “The Sweetness of Water” takes place in the imaginary town of Old Ox, Georgia, and tells of two brothers, recently freed, who find work on a neighboring farm run by a man who believes his son has been killed in the war. The 29-year-old Harris, whose book comes out Tuesday, has said he wanted to show what it was like in the South after slaves were emancipated. “I was captivated by the work of Nathan Harris and look forward to discussing this debut novel with all of his new readers.” “One of my great joys is finding a new author whose work I can share and support,” Winfrey said Tuesday in a statement. NEW YORK (AP) - Oprah Winfrey’s next book club pick is a debut novel set in Georgia at the end of the Civil War: Nathan Harris’ “The Sweetness of Water.” A discussion between Oprah Winfrey and Harris will air July 23 on Apple TV+. shows 'The Sweetness of Water,' a novel by Nathan Harris. This cover image released by Little Brown & Co.

The sweetness of water