Sing to Me: A Novel
By Jesse Browner
Little, Brown and Company, 2025

In the wake of the most storied war in history, with family and community stripped away, an eleven-year-old boy named Hani sets out on an epic quest with a surly donkey to find his lost sister in the ruins of Troy. In this tale – part-hero’s quest, part-coming-of-age story – resourceful and heartbroken Hani journeys not just over land and time but also through history and humanity into his own soul as he seeks what war has taken. On the way, Hani uses intelligence, ingenuity, grit, and humor to survive in the face of civilization’s collapse.

This event is presented in partnership with Seaside Jewish Community.

About the Author
Jesse Browner is a novelist, essayist, and translator. His own works include the novels The Uncertain Hour and Everything Happens Today and the memoir How Did I Get Here? He has translated works by Jean Cocteau, Rainer Maria Rilke, Matthieu Ricard, and other poets and philosophers. He lives in New York City.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes.

About the Festival
The History Book Festival is the first and only book festival in the United States devoted exclusively to history. With the help of our presenting funding partners — Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices | PenFed Realty — as well as our program and community partners, volunteers, and donors, the 2025 History Book Festival will be full of great discussions with authors of newly published narrative nonfiction and historical fiction. 

Thanks to all of our donors, especially our education and outreach funding partners: Ronald Collins & Susan Cohen, Carolyn & Aaron Nayer, Jen Mason & Clare Hancock, and Browseabout Books. HBF authors visit classrooms in Delaware, and HBF provides their books to schools, libraries, and community organizations.

Our Keynote event is presented by Griswold Home Care for Sussex and Kent Counties and Sally Mott Freeman & John K. Freeman; our Closing event is presented by the Delaware Community Foundation. Saturday’s Spirited Discussion, our gathering for attendees and presenters to celebrate and discuss their day, is presented by Dogfish Head Beer & Benevolence.

Special thanks to our Founding Program Partners for their continuing support: the Lewes Public Library, for event promotion and production, and Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Thanks also to the  Lewes Chamber of Commerce for event promotion, and the Cape Gazette and Delmarva Public Media, our media partners.