"All the Forgivenesses by Elizabeth Hardinger is an exceptional story with an exceptional heroine. Richly characterized through her unique voice, Albertina, or "Bertie," is as extraordinary and vivid as the rural landscapes she inhabits, from the rugged hills of her Kentucky homeland to the desolate flat oil fields of Kansas. I was thoroughly entranced by this sweeping story about this dynamic family, and by Bertie, who is stalwart, fearless, practical-minded and bold as she comes of age into womanhood, learning to shed her burdens of guilt, and to find her way to happiness, and most of all, forgiveness."

 —Donna Everhart, author of The Forgiving Kind, The Road to Bittersweet, and The Education of Dixie Dupree

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“Not since Daniel Woodrell’s Winter’s Bone and Bonnie Jo Campbell’s Once Upon a River have I met such an original, strong young woman, full of resourcefulness, passion, and courage, dedicated to saving her family no matter the personal sacrifice. This is an extraordinary, unforgettable novel, with a haunting voice that follows you into your dreams at night weaving tales of hard fought battles as the family moves from rural Kentucky to Missouri, and finally to the oil boom 1920’s in the Flint Hills of Kansas. Elizabeth Hardinger carves the geography of the human heart and teaches us the lessons of the forgiveness and the redemption that is possible for those of us strong enough to bear the burden and gift of love.”
 —Jonis Agee, award-winning author of The River Wife andThe Bones of Paradise

"Set across the rural Midwest of America in the first decades of the twentieth century, All the Forgivenessess tells the compelling story of a family struggling to escape the pernicious legacy of their parents’ ill fortune and poor judgment. In the narrator, Albertina, Elizabeth Hardinger has given us a heroine for the ages. In the face of unimaginable hardship, where survival is the only thing that matters, she learns strength and courage, and discovers joy in unexpected places. Her voice is strong and authentic and unforgettable. Equal parts tender and brutal, All the Forgivenessess is a rich, exquisite novel."
 —Alex George, bestselling author of A Good American and Setting Free the Kites

"It won't take a page to know this is an abiding story told in an utterly captivating voice. I fell into this novel in a way I've only experienced when reading Kaye Gibbons, Louise Erdrich, Dorothy Allison, and Alice Walker. The sense of place and time, of family, guilt, grief, and love are so richly layered, reading All the Forgivenesses is mesmerizing. No one writes like Hardinger. Thank goodness she does."
 —Sandra Scofield, National Book Award finalist for Beyond Deserving

"Composed with unassuming wisdom and grace, All the Forgivenesses is an exhilarating testament to the human spirit. You'll fall in love with the remarkable Bertie, whose unwavering loyalty to family delivers her a life rich with meaning and hard-won transcendence. A captivating debut by an exciting new voice in fiction."

 —Wayne Harrison, author of The Spark and the Drive