Family life fiction / Stories about family

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Book SynopsisGuillaume and Emma are newlyweds. Their life together is full of love and happiness, and they have everything they’ve always wanted… well, almost everything.From unsuccessful attempts to repeated failures, the two newlyweds face a menacing foe: sterility. Together, they embark on the confusing journey that is in vitro fertilization. Guillaume experiences the daily embarrassment of sperm donations, tests with dreaded results and endless consultations. With self-effacing charm, William Roy humbly shares a deeply human experience that is propelled by unshakable hope.Trade Review"An in-depth and funny portrayal of a couple's experiences with in vitro fertilization (IVF)." * NEWSARAMA *

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Book Synopsis"STUNNING." —Susan Power, author of The Grass DancerA moving and deeply engaging debut novel about a young Native American man finding strength in his familial identity, from a stellar new voice in fiction. Oscar Hokeah’s electric debut takes us into the life of Ever Geimausaddle, whose family—part Mexican, part Native American—is determined to hold onto their community despite obstacles everywhere they turn. Ever’s father is injured at the hands of corrupt police on the border when he goes to visit family in Mexico, while his mother struggles both to keep her job and care for her husband. And young Ever is lost and angry at all that he doesn’t understand, at this world that seems to undermine his sense of safety. Ever’s relatives all have ideas about who he is and who he should be. His Cherokee grandmother, knowing the importance of proximity, urges the family to move across Oklahoma to be near her, while his grandfather, watching their traditions slip away, tries to reunite Ever with his heritage through traditional gourd dances. Through it all, every relative wants the same: to remind Ever of the rich and supportive communities that surround him, there to hold him tight, and for Ever to learn to take the strength given to him to save not only himself but also the next generation. How will this young man visualize a place for himself when the world hasn’t made room for him to start with? Honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, Calling for a Blanket Dance is the story of how Ever Geimausaddle finds his way home.

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Book SynopsisThe perfect read for fans of Succession or The White Lotus “As a novelist, Tarkington is the real deal. I can’t wait to see this story reach a wide audience.”—Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife When Charlie Boykin was young, he thought his life with his single mother on the working-class side of Nashville was perfectly fine. But when his mother arranges for him to be admitted as a scholarship student to an elite private school, he is suddenly introduced to what the world can feel like to someone cushioned by money. That world, he discovers, is an almost irresistible place where one can bend—and break—rules and still end up untarnished. As he gets drawn into a friendship with a charismatic upperclassman, Archer Creigh, and an affluent family that treats him like an adopted son, Charlie quickly adapts to life in the upper echelons of Nashville society. Under their charming and alcohol-soaked spell, how can he not relax and enjoy it all—the lack of anxiety over money, the easy summers spent poolside at perfectly appointed mansions, the lavish parties, the freedom to make mistakes knowing that everything can be glossed over or fixed? But over time, Charlie is increasingly pulled into covering for Archer’s constant deceits and his casual bigotry. At what point will the attraction of wealth and prestige wear off enough for Charlie to take a stand—and will he? For readers of Wiley Cash, Ann Patchett, and Pat Conroy, The Fortunate Ones is an immersive, elegantly written story that conveys both the seductiveness of this world and the corruption of the people who see their ascent to the top as their birthright.Trade Review“Ed Tarkington’s wonderful second novel, The Fortunate Ones, feels like a fresh and remarkably sure-footed take on The Great Gatsby, examining the complex costs of attempting to transcend or exchange your given class for a more gilded one. Tarkington’s understanding of the human heart and mind is deep, wise and uncommonly empathetic. As a novelist, he is the real deal. I can’t wait to see this story reach a wide audience, and to see what he does next.” —Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife and Love and Ruin “There's a sharpness to Ed Tarkington's view of the world, an exacting truthfulness of how things work, but he marries it to such an open-hearted and resonant humanity in his writing that it's hard not to place him easily in the company of Pat Conroy and Alice McDermott. In The Fortunate Ones, Tarkington examines privilege and friendship with that same incredible perspective, and he helps us see the difficulties of trying to hold onto yourself even as you want so badly to be transformed. An amazing, thought-provoking novel by one of our most generous writers.” —Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here “The Fortunate Ones has echoes of Gatsby . . . Tarkington [is] a talented and compassionate writer . . . [and] aspects of The Fortunate Ones echo a slew of classic novels, including As I Lay Dying, A Separate Peace, The Moviegoer, and Big Fish . . . Tarkington’s insight into the meaning of home rings true.” —The Washington Post “Readers who love a good wallow in the Southern Gothic steam bath of a Pat Conroy novel (The Prince of Tides, The Great Santini) are always ready to investigate a possible literary heir. The Fortunate Ones by Ed Tarkington, set in Nashville through the 1980s and ’90s, bears all the markings of this lineage.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune “Tarkington’s prose glows like the sun hitting the chlorine-scented pool chairs lining the lush backyards . . . [H]is portrayals of quirky teachers, black tie galas and mysterious benefactors are biting and real. The Fortunate Ones is filled with good characters behaving badly, and vice-versa, perhaps best articulated by Charlie’s thoughts on his landmark painting: ‘I wanted it to express a feeling, an emotion I considered to be complex—the juxtaposition of allure and revulsion, guilt and desire, remorse and indifference.’ Tarkington succeeds, reminding the reader that the South is never perfect and privilege will always have a price.” —Atlanta Journal-Constitution “A gorgeous, deep probing treatise on the myriad manifestations of love, envy, privilege, and longing… A fathoms-deep exploration of love, loyalty, and the ties that bind, written masterfully from all angles. It’s a laser-sharp look at the underbelly of power and privilege’s repercussions as told through the power of story.” —New York Journal of Books “In a narrative that smacks of privilege while also reckoning with its insidiousness, Ed Tarkington spins a southern yarn about manhood, family and desire . . . Although the relationship between [Charlie and Arch] could certainly be classified as toxic, it also compels the reader, and the intrigue intensifies as the novel depicts the reflections of the now-grown Charlie interspersed throughout his own coming-of-age story . . . I found myself rooting for a character that made deeply flawed decisions while still seeming like a deeply human (and indeed, humane) person.” —Jackson Free Press “In this well-considered coming-of-age novel set in Nashville, a boy learns that the trappings of wealth hide secrets, and he faces truths about loyalty and idealism.” —Shelf Awareness “The essence of Jay Gatsby’s self-destroying discontent charges the pages of The Fortunate Ones.” —Christian Science Monitor “For anyone disappointed in Tennessee’s response to any of this year’s crises, The Fortunate Ones is not to be missed.” —Memphis Flyer “Tarkington is a gifted storyteller, largely because he knows how to let his finely developed characters do the heavy lifting . . . An impressive literary balancing act that entertains as it enriches.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review “Delicious with drawn-out tension and intrigue, The Fortunate Ones is an atmospheric triumph.” —Booklist “[A] spirited coming-of-age story . . . Tarkington’s strong story of loyalty and the corruption of privilege transcends.” —Publishers Weekly “Ed Tarkington perfectly captures the heady, conflicted emotions that come with proximity to privilege—both the irresistible longing and the heartbreaking disillusionment. I’m recommending The Fortunate Ones to every book club I know.” —Mary Laura Philpott, author of I Miss You When I Blink “To the great literature of anointment, of the young person plucked from obscurity and given a place at the glittering table, we can now add Ed Tarkington’s lovely novel of a young man mystified by his good fortune until the reasons behind it are revealed and the cost is extracted. A beautiful read.” —Ann Packer, author of The Children’s Crusade

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Book SynopsisThe 10th Winner of the 2019 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, Awarded by Barbara Kingsolver “What a read this is, right from its startling opening scene. But even more than plot, it’s the richly layered details that drive home a lightning bolt of empathy. To read At the Edge of the Haight is to live inside the everyday terror and longings of a world that most of us manage not to see, even if we walk past it on sidewalks every day. At a time when more Americans than ever find themselves at the edge of homelessness, this book couldn’t be more timely.”—Barbara Kingsolver, author of Unsheltered and The Poisonwood Bible Maddy Donaldo, homeless at twenty, lives with her dog and makeshift family in the hidden spaces of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. She thinks she knows how to survive and whom to trust until she accidentally witnesses the murder of a young man. Her world is upended as she has to face not only the killer but also the police and then the victim’s parents, who desperately want Maddy to tell them about the life their son led after he left home. And in a desire to save her since they could not save their own son, they are determined to have Maddy reunite with her own lost family. But what makes a family? Is it the people who raised you if they don’t have the skills to look after you? Is it the foster parents whose generosity only lasts until things become more difficult? Or is it the family that Maddy has met in the park, young people who also have nowhere else to go? Told with sensitivity and tenderness and set against the backdrop of a radically changing city, At the Edge of the Haight is narrated by a young girl just beginning to understand herself. The result is a powerful debut that, much like previous Bellwether winners The Leavers, by Lisa Ko, or Heidi Durrow’s The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, grapples with one of the most urgent issues of our day.Trade Review“What a read this is, right from its startling opening scene. But even more than plot, it’s the richly layered details that drive home a lightning bolt of empathy. To read At the Edge of the Haight is to live inside the everyday terror and longings of a world that most of us manage not to see, even if we walk past it on sidewalks every day. At a time when more Americans than ever find themselves at the edge of homelessness, this book couldn’t be more timely.”—Barbara Kingsolver, author of Unsheltered and The Poisonwood Bible “A terrific novel, half murder-mystery, half a tale of growing up. The heroine and her friends are unique in my reading experience—homeless young people living in Golden Gate Park, with their own community and their own rules—and their story is suspenseful and touching throughout.”—Scott Turow “Katherine Seligman's new novel makes alive and visible the lives of people we often walk past, sometimes as quickly as we can.” —NPR “At the Edge of the Haight inspires empathy for San Francisco’s unhoused. A journalist who has written extensively about homelessness and mental health issues, particularly in California, Seligman is a keen observer of the wealth gap in San Francisco and the challenges facing those experiencing homelessness. Seligman’s writing is at its best when it juxtaposes the experiences of living in San Francisco for those who have and those who have not . . . The book is a compassionate and probing character study of the type of street kids Seligman knows people tend to overlook or even scorn when they see them begging on the sidewalk." —San Francisco Chronicle “An incisive look at homelessness in the Haight.” —7x7“[A] gripping debut novel, At the Edge of the Haight explores a community on the edge of a historic setting and on the edge of getting by, with a compelling protagonist and an array of problems to wrestle with . . . In this quietly compassionate novel, a young homeless woman stumbles onto a crime scene on the edge of Haight-Ashbury, and eventually reconsiders how she got there." —Shelf Awareness“At the Edge of the Haight brims with empathy for the overlooked and the underserved. It's a deep, dark, and necessary look into lives often discarded and disregarded—an urgent and important read and a startling debut.”—Ivy Pochoda, author of These Women “This book pulled me deep into a world I knew little about, bringing the struggles of its young, homeless inhabitants—the kind of people we avoid eye contact with on the street—to vivid, poignant life. The novel demands that you take a close look. If you knew, could you still ignore, fear or condemn them? And knowing, how can you ever forget?” —Hillary Jordan, author of Mudbound “Through careful observation, Seligman seeks to humanize a community that is often ignored and misunderstood . . . Winner of the 2019 PEN/Bellweather Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, At the Edge of the Haight is a thoughtful look at modern homelessness.” —Booklist “[An] intense, personal drama about wayward lives positioned between redemption and disaster. Putting a human face on those who live at society’s margins, At the Edge of the Haight is an intimate novel whose young characters struggle for survival and a little bit of dignity. —Foreword Reviews "I love Maddy Donaldo. I can’t wait for you to meet her. Not since Carson McCullers’s Frankie Addams have I seen a character so defined by her deep dualism—an electric desire to be both invisible and seen, free and bonded."—Mesha Maren, author of Sugar Run"Subtle yet compelling . . . written in delicate, understated prose, At the Edge of the Haight not only offers unexpected insights into the daily life of those who are young and on the streets, but into the confusion of tenderness, hurt, fear and fierceness that tumble within the minds of many. An enlightening read for anyone of any age.”—Helen Benedict, author of Wolf Season “I loved this novel: its tenderness, its toughness, its brilliantly-named protagonist Maddy—these days, what thoughtful person isn’t mad? Maddy is a Holden Caulfield for our times, smart, streetwise, a survivor who is not jaded. Seligman’s vivid portrait leads us to understand San Francisco’s street people not as “the other” but as extensions of our friends, our families, our neighbors, ourselves. If there is hope for our species, it begins there.” —Fenton Johnson, author of At the Center of All Beauty: Solitude and the Creative Life "At the Edge of the Haight is a novel of rare grace and compassion that opens a window onto a world to which we often keep ourselves closed. With a keen sense for setting and state of mind, Katherine Seligman takes us on a journey into the hidden spaces of America, where the friction created between the need to be seen and to disappear, to remember and to forget sets little fires that help us see better, help us stay warm." —C. Morgan Babst, author of The Floating World"Seligman is to be commended for an insightful portrayal of homelessness . . . heartfelt . . . brave." —Kirkus Reviews"Seligman has a strong sense of the city and of the challenges faced by the homeless. [Her] portrayal of life as a homeless young person is immersive." —Publishers Weekly

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Book Synopsis"Smith's latest is as delicious as a slice of key lime pie - and gone just as fast." - People"It's very different and it's very special and it's very good! I loved it." - Dolly PartonA driving force in literature, Lee Smith returns with a road trip novel, a story full of hope and humour about not going away quietly-at any age. Herb's charmed life with his dear wife Susan in their Key West house is coming undone. Susan, in her 70s, now needs constant care, and Herb is in denial about his own ailing health. The one bright spot is the arrival of an endlessly optimistic manicurist calling herself Renee. She sings to Susan during manicures, gets her to paint, and brings her a much-needed sense of contentment.Then Herb and Susan's adult children arrive to stage an intervention with their stubborn, independent father, and as a consequence, Renee's gig with Susan-and her grand plans for her own life-start to unravel as well. Herb isn't ready to let go of all that he has ever had, and it turns out that Renee is not the happy, uncomplicated girl she pretends to be. She is not even Renee; she is really Dee Dee, and she, too, has reasons of her own to hit the road. So Herb suggests one last joy ride in his Porsche with her riding shotgun; and they light out for parts north, setting off a Silver Alert.As the unlikely friendship between Herb and Dee Dee deepens, we see how as one life is closing down, another opens up. This time that Dee Dee has spent with Susan, this time in Key West, and this time in the Porsche with the elderly Herb reveals to Dee Dee how much more truly lies ahead.In this buoyant novel, the masterful Smith asks: What life do we deserve? And how do we make it our own? Sometimes, you just have to seize the wheel.Trade Review"Smith's latest is as delicious as a slice of key lime pie – and gone just as fast."—People“Silver Alert is Lee Smith at the top of her game, and that is a high bar indeed. It’s brilliantly paced with some of the most energetic prose I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. The characters of Herb Atlas and Dee Dee are a pair for the ages, who you will long remember after the fall of the last page.”—David Baldacci, author of Dream Town"There are many ways to read Lee Smith’s excellent new novel Silver Alert, but I view it as the toll old age has taken on her characters, with all its indignities and absurdities, as well as a wry view of America itself. Staged in iconic Key West, the improviser’s Paradise, it’s an implied prayer for our expressing kindness in gestures large and small."—Ann Beattie, author of The Accomplished Guest“Lee Smith’s Silver Alert doesn’t just soar. It seems at times to defy the laws of literary gravity. That a book so full of hope should emerge right now is truly remarkable.” —Richard Russo, author of Empire Falls and Chances Are…."This hilarious, timely and emotional novel will reframe the way you think about the golden years. Herb and Renee's friendship leads to a high-octane twist that will leave you breathless. Silver Alert is a shimmering arrow that aims straight for the heart." —Adriana Trigiani, author of The Good Left Undone“Smith skillfully pivots from wry humor to real tenderness toward her quirkily engaging characters. Beneath the novel’s occasionally frothy surface beats a compassionate, generous heart. A warmhearted story of improbably matched characters trying to reclaim their lives.”—Kirkus Reviews“Silver Alert is classic Lee Smith: laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving, full of endearing, complex characters who become real people to the reader. ...a lovely, raucous look at life in Key West, growing old, and unlikely friendships.”—Garden Gun, The Best New Books for Southerners in 2023“Silver Alert is classic Lee Smith: laugh-out-loud funny and deeply moving, full of endearing, complex characters who become real people to the reader. ...a lovely, raucous look at life in Key West, growing old, and unlikely friendships.” —Silas House—Garden Gun, The Best New Books for Southerners in 2023“Silver Alert is rich with Lee Smith’s gift for vivid storytelling and memorable asides … at once lively, grim, funny, and poignant.”—Chapter16.org“Likely to resonate with fans of Marian Keyes, Lynda Rutledge, and Andrew J. Graff, Smith's novel is an incisive and heartwarming exploration of life's fragile phases.”—Booklist“With themes of living life to the fullest and second chances, Lee Smith’s Silver Alert would make a perfect 2023 beach read.”—Reader's Digest, 25 Best Fiction Books of 2023 (So Far)“Nobody mines the bittersweet absurdities of Southern family life and living better than prolific, masterful storyteller Lee Smith… Silver Alert…takes readers on a deeply meaningful, unforgettable ride brimming with hope.”—Shelf Awareness“There's plenty of charm...this is a treat.”—Publishers Weekly“Lovable characters and a gripping story.”—The Bookworm“When I hear there is another book by Lee Smith, it brightens my day. There are only a handful of authors who elicit that response.”—Tuscaloosa News"No one has tapped into Southern truths quite like the Virginia-raised author. Just ask the legion of writers who praise her for guiding their own stories."—Garden Gun

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Book Synopsis“A beautifully rendered and cinematic portrait of a place and its evolution through time . . . A story of survival and the love and devotion between parent and child.” —Jill McCorkle, author of Hieroglyphics Dave Cartwright used to be good at a lot of things: good with his hands, good at solving problems, good at staying calm in a crisis. But on the heels of his third tour in Iraq, the fabric of Dave’s life has begun to unravel. Gripped by PTSD, he finds himself losing his home, his wife, his direction. Most days, his love for his seven-year-old daughter, Bella, is the only thing keeping him going. When tragedy strikes, Dave makes a dramatic decision: the two of them will flee their damaged lives, heading off the grid to live in the wilderness of the Pacific Northwest. As they carve out a home in a cave in that harsh, breathtaking landscape, echoes of its past begin to reach them. Bella retreats into herself, absorbed by visions of a mother and son who lived in the cave thousands of years earlier, at the end of the last ice age. Back in town, Dave and Bella themselves are rapidly becoming the stuff of legend—to all but those who would force them to return home. As winter sweeps toward the North Cascades, past and present intertwine into a timeless odyssey. Poignant and profound, Legends of the North Cascades brings Jonathan Evison’s trademark vibrant, honest voice to bear on an expansive story that is at once a meditation on the perils of isolation and an exploration of the ways that connection can save us.

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Book SynopsisAuthor of Reese's Book Club pick Honor and the bestselling The Space Between Us, Thrity Umrigar returns with a powerful new story about family secrets, a mother's power, and the importance of forgiveness. Remy left India for the United States long ago, taking his resentment for his mother with him. He has now returned with his wife to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl -- and to see his elderly mother for the first time in many years. Discovering that she is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life, he is struck with guilt for not realizing just how sick she has been and for not seeing to her care. His return and assiduous attention brings her back to life, and Remy is able to settle her back at home. In the process, he finds a note from his late, adored father, opening the door to shocking long-held family secrets which he is only now able to unravel, thus finding a path of empathy towards his mother and a new vision of the father he had idolized. As his mother begins to communicate again, Remy must re-evaluate his entire childhood, his relationship to his parents, and his harsh judgment on the decisions and events long hidden from him, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. But even more, he must learn to forgive others for their failures. In a heart wrenching story of family secrets and how we move beyond them in order to heal, Umrigar reminds us that no matter how things appear, forgiveness comes from realizing that the people we love are fallible and are usually trying to do their best, in the most difficult situations.

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Book SynopsisTold in a series of voices, Calling for a Blanket Dance takes us into the life of Ever Geimausaddle through the multigenerational perspectives of his family as they face myriad obstacles. His father's injury at the hands of corrupt police, his mother's struggle to hold on to her job and care for her husband, the constant resettlement of the family, and the legacy of centuries of injustice all intensify Ever's bottled-up rage. Meanwhile, all of Ever's relatives have ideas about who he is and who he should be. His Cherokee grandmother urges the family to move across Oklahoma to find security; his grandfather hopes to reunite him with his heritage through traditional gourd dances; his Kiowa cousin reminds him that he's connected to an ancestral past. And once an adult, Ever must take the strength given to him by his relatives to save not only himself but also the next generation of family.How will this young man visualize a place for himself when the world hasn't given him a place to start with? Honest, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, Calling for a Blanket Dance is the story of how Ever Geimausaddle found his way to home.Trade ReviewWinner of the PEN America/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction A TIME Must-Read Book of 2022 A BookPage Best Fiction Book of 2022 A Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction and Best Debut Book of 2022 “With intricate prose and unflinching vernacular, Oscar Hokeah chronicles a family and a community. We learn trials and aspirations for each generation, and witness what is woven into complicated arrival. We need these characters and their testimonies. But more than that, we crave –I crave—this kind of honest storytelling. These rhythms. These dances. This beauty. This welcoming to a place where the people speak and are unafraid.” —Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois “A profound reflection on the intergenerational nature of cultural trauma… Hokeah’s characters exist at the intersection of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican identity, which provides a vital exploration of indigeneity in contemporary American letters.” —The New York Times Book Review “Hokeah skillfully recreates the years leading up to and following Ever’s birth, capturing the traumas and complexities that shaped him into who he is and may determine who he becomes.” —TIME “Quaking with age-old righteous anger but nevertheless luminescent with hope.” —ELLE “Oscar Hokeah explores family and identity, past and present, in his debut novel… Above all, the book explores family relationships, obligation, resentment, and devotion.”—The Boston Globe “Hokeah’s prose is punchy and descriptive, filled with Native American words and phrases that come naturally to the characters. This blending of languages is still uncommon in contemporary fiction, but the current Indigenous literary and cultural renaissance promises that more voices will grow this singularity into a rich multitude. But of course, renaissance is the wrong word to use here. Hokeah, who is of Mexican heritage as well as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, shows that this tradition has been here the whole time, evolving and surviving.” —BookPage “This miraculous story presents a collective imagining not only of who its main character is, but who everyone else anticipated and dreamed he could become. It is a must-read.” — BuzzFeed “Drawing on a wealth of Indigenous tradition, Hokeah has produced in his debut a novel that underscores the quiet strength that arises when a family is true to its identity and the too common tragedy that results when identity is suppressed.” —The Millions “An auspicious debut . . . Recalling both Tommy Orange and Gabriel Garcia Marquez in its narrative structure . . . A book to deeply invest in.” —Chicago Review of Books “Remarkable.” —Shondaland “Told from a variety of voices, this story is one of love, loss, growth, tradition and evolution. Not to be missed.” —Ms. Magazine “[A] captivating debut . . . with striking insight into human nature and beautiful prose, this heralds an exciting new voice.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “What is wonderful about Hokeah’s debut is that each character gets to tell their own story, while also covering Ever’s life, who they each feel responsible for as part of their family and community. ... What we have with this book is a complete picture of one person as seen by others, and an entire community made up of Kiowa, Cherokee, and Mexican Americans, each with their own language, speech rhythms, and ways of seeing the world.” —Literary Hub “Hokeah’s debut will feel familiar to fans of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange . . . A novel that builds in richness and intricacy . . . Another noteworthy debut in what feels like an ongoing renaissance of Indigenous peoples’ literature, both reflecting this lineage and introducing an exciting, fresh new voice to the choir.” —Library Journal “As in the novels of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange, the chorus of voices—rendered in unadorned vernacular peppered with Indigenous words—evokes a close-knit Native community in all its varied humanity, anchored by tradition while marked by injustices past and present… Simply told and true to life.” —Kirkus Reviews “A masterwork of peripheral narration.” —Kirkus Reviews, "Best of 2022: A Year of the 'Fully Booked' Podcast" “Oscar Hokeah’s debut novel… reads like a Louise Erdrich novel. Yet, while this inspiration seems clear, Hokeah’s story is profoundly original.” —Chicago Review of Books “A moving symphony of voices, and a beautiful story about loss and belonging." —Book Riot “Hokeah's novel not only tells a story that is ultimately uplifting, but also immerses readers in Oklahoma's Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican communities… Ever and his family aren't looking for a way to define themselves within a larger national identity, but they are trying to pry their lives from the forces of generational trauma that shape their community.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “With beautiful prose and a deeply moving cast of characters, Calling for a Blanket Dance introduces Oscar Hokeah as an important and exciting new voice in literary fiction.”—Electric Literature “Speaking to a shared experience of many Indigenous peoples, this novel puts readers in the shoes of a people trying to make their way in a country that has stolen their place.” —Morning Brew’s Sidekick “A necessary and important addition to your TBR.” —The Young Folks “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “Riveting… Hokeah’s character’s work their way through and beyond so many obstacles. What emerges is an authentic cultural voice speaking on behalf of the many ways family bonds bend, break, and hold on forever.” —KCUR (Kansas NPR) / Up To Date “Filled with astonishing immediacy, and embellished with Hokeah’s authentic voice, these epic stories soar with indelible images of a proud, but challenged, people who find strength through their blood-lines and their enduring familial love. Some characters are so broken and bitter that I was moved to tears. But most characters persevere, and thrive, through the indomitable will and pride of their heritage. Hokeah has accomplished something unique here. In his quietly brilliant depiction of his Cherokee/Kiowa/ Mexican heritage he has dipped into his medicine bag and gifted us with a small but compelling masterpiece. This should be required reading for every American.” —Kiana Davenport, author of Shark Dialogues “The characters that populate Calling for a Blanket Dance are real, amazing, vulnerable and beautiful in their flaws and, even despair—Oscar Hokeah unveils their suffering and joy, their struggle to live with honor, care for family, walk right. What an accomplishment. Few writers have the courage or craft to pull this off. Oscar Hokeah beats the drum and stomps, announcing his power is back, the people have returned with powerful stories. He weaves a tale that is unforgettable and fortifying. I couldn’t put the book down.” —Jimmy Santiago Baca, author of A Place to Stand “Calling for a Blanket Dance is a stunning novel. Oscar Hokeah writes from deep inside the heart of his communities, bringing life to generations of voices who became so real to me they felt like relatives. The reader can’t help but invest in each character as they navigate bitter challenges, sometimes surprising themselves with their strength, their ability to survive and love. Hokeah’s prose gorgeously weaves authentic local vernacular with the lyrical notes of hard-won insight. This novel belongs on every recommended booklist for fans of literary fiction.” —Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer “Hokeah offers us a rich tapestry of interconnected narratives, a chorus of distinct voices battling against history, failing bodies, and barren landscapes. We move through decades, fall in love and despair with the Geimaussadle family. The scale and beauty reminds you of One Hundred Years of Solitude set in Oklahoma. Here’s a True American Epic.” —Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don’t Belong “As a plethora of voices accompany Ever Geimausaddle's upbringing, we learn of challenges and resilience, the multilingual language of hope and the grace of forgiveness. Their lives, tender and difficult, full of awe and learning, remind us that the borderlands are fluid regions where families have intermingled, overcome challenges, and danced together for centuries." —Cristina Rivera Garza, author of Grieving: Dispatches from a Wounded Country “Oscar Hokeah is the real deal. A new voice with ancient music.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels “Oscar Hokeah brings to life a kaleidoscope of characters from an unforgettable Native American family. His depiction of Indigenous cultures honors their strength of community with remarkable love and healing humor, sending out a vital drumbeat of hope for future generations.”—Christian Science Monitor “[Calling for a Blanket Dance] crosses multiple generations and cultures, always with a generous eye, connecting every strand in an indelible vision.” —Spectrum Culture “Author Oscar Hokeah and narrator Rainy Fields both give vivid, emotional performances in this intergenerational drama… Together, Hokeah and Fields bring this multifaceted novel to life, drawing listeners into the messy web of community and family that Ever inhabits.”—AudioFile Magazine “A lyrical, unputdownable multigenerational tale rooted in family and love.” —Portland Public Library “Hokeah’s debut novel proves the impact of generational resilience—what it means to pass down knowledge, tradition, and values… What sets the novel apart from a collection is that the characters refuse to stand alone, choosing to quilt their stories together. Calling for a Blanket Dance becomes a blanket, and, just like the stitches that bind them, it’s the love for community that holds the novel together.”—World Literature Today “A compelling book about how our family shapes how we are seen and who we become... Honest and powerful, great storytelling.”—The Southern Bookseller Review “A collective story about familial bonds that readers won’t soon forget.”—Tribal College: The Journal of American Indian Higher Education “A story of love and resiliency that is hard to put down. Calling for a Blanket Dance is a novel sure to remind many readers of their own families, the individuality that each person brings, the crucial role that community plays, and our interconnection."—Latinx in Publishing “Generations of struggles, questions, and trauma all come to a head in the person of Ever Geimausaddle, the Native American protagonist of this far-reaching story by Oscar Hokeah. As Ever struggles to figure out his place in the world and what his future looks like, stories from his parents, grandparents, and other members of his community intertwine with his in a tale that reaches far beyond just one man’s life.”—LifeSavvyWinner of the PEN America/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction A TIME Must-Read Book of 2022 A BookPage Best Fiction Book of 2022 A Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction and Best Debut Book of 2022 “With intricate prose and unflinching vernacular, Oscar Hokeah chronicles a family and a community. We learn trials and aspirations for each generation, and witness what is woven into complicated arrival. We need these characters and their testimonies. But more than that, we crave –I crave—this kind of honest storytelling. These rhythms. These dances. This beauty. This welcoming to a place where the people speak and are unafraid.” —Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois “A profound reflection on the intergenerational nature of cultural trauma… Hokeah’s characters exist at the intersection of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican identity, which provides a vital exploration of indigeneity in contemporary American letters.” —The New York Times Book Review “Hokeah skillfully recreates the years leading up to and following Ever’s birth, capturing the traumas and complexities that shaped him into who he is and may determine who he becomes.” —TIME “Quaking with age-old righteous anger but nevertheless luminescent with hope.” —ELLE “Oscar Hokeah explores family and identity, past and present, in his debut novel… Above all, the book explores family relationships, obligation, resentment, and devotion.”—The Boston Globe “Hokeah’s prose is punchy and descriptive, filled with Native American words and phrases that come naturally to the characters. This blending of languages is still uncommon in contemporary fiction, but the current Indigenous literary and cultural renaissance promises that more voices will grow this singularity into a rich multitude. But of course, renaissance is the wrong word to use here. Hokeah, who is of Mexican heritage as well as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, shows that this tradition has been here the whole time, evolving and surviving.” —BookPage “This miraculous story presents a collective imagining not only of who its main character is, but who everyone else anticipated and dreamed he could become. It is a must-read.” — BuzzFeed “Drawing on a wealth of Indigenous tradition, Hokeah has produced in his debut a novel that underscores the quiet strength that arises when a family is true to its identity and the too common tragedy that results when identity is suppressed.” —The Millions “An auspicious debut . . . Recalling both Tommy Orange and Gabriel Garcia Marquez in its narrative structure . . . A book to deeply invest in.” —Chicago Review of Books “Remarkable.” —Shondaland “Told from a variety of voices, this story is one of love, loss, growth, tradition and evolution. Not to be missed.” —Ms. Magazine “[A] captivating debut . . . with striking insight into human nature and beautiful prose, this heralds an exciting new voice.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “What is wonderful about Hokeah’s debut is that each character gets to tell their own story, while also covering Ever’s life, who they each feel responsible for as part of their family and community. ... What we have with this book is a complete picture of one person as seen by others, and an entire community made up of Kiowa, Cherokee, and Mexican Americans, each with their own language, speech rhythms, and ways of seeing the world.” —Literary Hub “Hokeah’s debut will feel familiar to fans of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange . . . A novel that builds in richness and intricacy . . . Another noteworthy debut in what feels like an ongoing renaissance of Indigenous peoples’ literature, both reflecting this lineage and introducing an exciting, fresh new voice to the choir.” —Library Journal “As in the novels of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange, the chorus of voices—rendered in unadorned vernacular peppered with Indigenous words—evokes a close-knit Native community in all its varied humanity, anchored by tradition while marked by injustices past and present… Simply told and true to life.” —Kirkus Reviews “A masterwork of peripheral narration.” —Kirkus Reviews, "Best of 2022: A Year of the 'Fully Booked' Podcast" “Oscar Hokeah’s debut novel… reads like a Louise Erdrich novel. Yet, while this inspiration seems clear, Hokeah’s story is profoundly original.” —Chicago Review of Books “A moving symphony of voices, and a beautiful story about loss and belonging." —Book Riot “Hokeah's novel not only tells a story that is ultimately uplifting, but also immerses readers in Oklahoma's Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican communities… Ever and his family aren't looking for a way to define themselves within a larger national identity, but they are trying to pry their lives from the forces of generational trauma that shape their community.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “With beautiful prose and a deeply moving cast of characters, Calling for a Blanket Dance introduces Oscar Hokeah as an important and exciting new voice in literary fiction.”—Electric Literature “Speaking to a shared experience of many Indigenous peoples, this novel puts readers in the shoes of a people trying to make their way in a country that has stolen their place.” —Morning Brew’s Sidekick “A necessary and important addition to your TBR.” —The Young Folks “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “Riveting… Hokeah’s character’s work their way through and beyond so many obstacles. What emerges is an authentic cultural voice speaking on behalf of the many ways family bonds bend, break, and hold on forever.” —KCUR (Kansas NPR) / Up To Date “Filled with astonishing immediacy, and embellished with Hokeah’s authentic voice, these epic stories soar with indelible images of a proud, but challenged, people who find strength through their blood-lines and their enduring familial love. Some characters are so broken and bitter that I was moved to tears. But most characters persevere, and thrive, through the indomitable will and pride of their heritage. Hokeah has accomplished something unique here. In his quietly brilliant depiction of his Cherokee/Kiowa/ Mexican heritage he has dipped into his medicine bag and gifted us with a small but compelling masterpiece. This should be required reading for every American.” —Kiana Davenport, author of Shark Dialogues “The characters that populate Calling for a Blanket Dance are real, amazing, vulnerable and beautiful in their flaws and, even despair—Oscar Hokeah unveils their suffering and joy, their struggle to live with honor, care for family, walk right. What an accomplishment. Few writers have the courage or craft to pull this off. Oscar Hokeah beats the drum and stomps, announcing his power is back, the people have returned with powerful stories. He weaves a tale that is unforgettable and fortifying. I couldn’t put the book down.” —Jimmy Santiago Baca, author of A Place to Stand “Calling for a Blanket Dance is a stunning novel. Oscar Hokeah writes from deep inside the heart of his communities, bringing life to generations of voices who became so real to me they felt like relatives. The reader can’t help but invest in each character as they navigate bitter challenges, sometimes surprising themselves with their strength, their ability to survive and love. Hokeah’s prose gorgeously weaves authentic local vernacular with the lyrical notes of hard-won insight. This novel belongs on every recommended booklist for fans of literary fiction.” —Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer “Hokeah offers us a rich tapestry of interconnected narratives, a chorus of distinct voices battling against history, failing bodies, and barren landscapes. We move through decades, fall in love and despair with the Geimaussadle family. The scale and beauty reminds you of One Hundred Years of Solitude set in Oklahoma. Here’s a True American Epic.” —Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don’t Belong “As a plethora of voices accompany Ever Geimausaddle's upbringing, we learn of challenges and resilience, the multilingual language of hope and the grace of forgiveness. Their lives, tender and difficult, full of awe and learning, remind us that the borderlands are fluid regions where families have intermingled, overcome challenges, and danced together for centuries." —Cristina Rivera Garza, author of Grieving: Dispatches from a Wounded Country “Oscar Hokeah is the real deal. A new voice with ancient music.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels “Oscar Hokeah brings to life a kaleidoscope of characters from an unforgettable Native American family. His depiction of Indigenous cultures honors their strength of community with remarkable love and healing humor, sending out a vital drumbeat of hope for future generations.”—Christian Science Monitor “Calling for a Blanket Dance stitches an intergenerational quilt of rich themes… unassuming, accessible, and profound.”—PopMatters “[Calling for a Blanket Dance] crosses multiple generations and cultures, always with a generous eye, connecting every strand in an indelible vision.” —Spectrum Culture “Author Oscar Hokeah and narrator Rainy Fields both give vivid, emotional performances in this intergenerational drama… Together, Hokeah and Fields bring this multifaceted novel to life, drawing listeners into the messy web of community and family that Ever inhabits.”—AudioFile Magazine “A lyrical, unputdownable multigenerational tale rooted in family and love.” —Portland Public Library “Hokeah’s debut novel proves the impact of generational resilience—what it means to pass down knowledge, tradition, and values… What sets the novel apart from a collection is that the characters refuse to stand alone, choosing to quilt their stories together. Calling for a Blanket Dance becomes a blanket, and, just like the stitches that bind them, it’s the love for community that holds the novel together.”—World Literature Today “A compelling book about how our family shapes how we are seen and who we become... Honest and powerful, great storytelling.”—The Southern Bookseller Review “A collective story about familial bonds that readers won’t soon forget.”—Tribal College: The Journal of American Indian Higher Education “A story of love and resiliency that is hard to put down. Calling for a Blanket Dance is a novel sure to remind many readers of their own families, the individuality that each person brings, the crucial role that community plays, and our interconnection."—Latinx in Publishing “Generations of struggles, questions, and trauma all come to a head in the person of Ever Geimausaddle, the Native American protagonist of this far-reaching story by Oscar Hokeah. As Ever struggles to figure out his place in the world and what his future looks like, stories from his parents, grandparents, and other members of his community intertwine with his in a tale that reaches far beyond just one man’s life.”—LifeSavvyWinner of the PEN America/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction A TIME Must-Read Book of 2022 A BookPage Best Fiction Book of 2022 A Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction and Best Debut Book of 2022 “With intricate prose and unflinching vernacular, Oscar Hokeah chronicles a family and a community. We learn trials and aspirations for each generation, and witness what is woven into complicated arrival. We need these characters and their testimonies. But more than that, we crave –I crave—this kind of honest storytelling. These rhythms. These dances. This beauty. This welcoming to a place where the people speak and are unafraid.” —Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois “A profound reflection on the intergenerational nature of cultural trauma… Hokeah’s characters exist at the intersection of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican identity, which provides a vital exploration of indigeneity in contemporary American letters.” —The New York Times Book Review “Hokeah skillfully recreates the years leading up to and following Ever’s birth, capturing the traumas and complexities that shaped him into who he is and may determine who he becomes.” —TIME “Quaking with age-old righteous anger but nevertheless luminescent with hope.” —ELLE “Oscar Hokeah explores family and identity, past and present, in his debut novel… Above all, the book explores family relationships, obligation, resentment, and devotion.”—The Boston Globe “Hokeah’s prose is punchy and descriptive, filled with Native American words and phrases that come naturally to the characters. This blending of languages is still uncommon in contemporary fiction, but the current Indigenous literary and cultural renaissance promises that more voices will grow this singularity into a rich multitude. But of course, renaissance is the wrong word to use here. Hokeah, who is of Mexican heritage as well as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, shows that this tradition has been here the whole time, evolving and surviving.” —BookPage “This miraculous story presents a collective imagining not only of who its main character is, but who everyone else anticipated and dreamed he could become. It is a must-read.” — BuzzFeed “Drawing on a wealth of Indigenous tradition, Hokeah has produced in his debut a novel that underscores the quiet strength that arises when a family is true to its identity and the too common tragedy that results when identity is suppressed.” —The Millions “An auspicious debut . . . Recalling both Tommy Orange and Gabriel Garcia Marquez in its narrative structure . . . A book to deeply invest in.” —Chicago Review of Books “Remarkable.” —Shondaland “Told from a variety of voices, this story is one of love, loss, growth, tradition and evolution. Not to be missed.” —Ms. Magazine “[A] captivating debut . . . with striking insight into human nature and beautiful prose, this heralds an exciting new voice.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “What is wonderful about Hokeah’s debut is that each character gets to tell their own story, while also covering Ever’s life, who they each feel responsible for as part of their family and community. ... What we have with this book is a complete picture of one person as seen by others, and an entire community made up of Kiowa, Cherokee, and Mexican Americans, each with their own language, speech rhythms, and ways of seeing the world.” —Literary Hub “Hokeah’s debut will feel familiar to fans of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange . . . A novel that builds in richness and intricacy . . . Another noteworthy debut in what feels like an ongoing renaissance of Indigenous peoples’ literature, both reflecting this lineage and introducing an exciting, fresh new voice to the choir.” —Library Journal “As in the novels of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange, the chorus of voices—rendered in unadorned vernacular peppered with Indigenous words—evokes a close-knit Native community in all its varied humanity, anchored by tradition while marked by injustices past and present… Simply told and true to life.” —Kirkus Reviews “A masterwork of peripheral narration.” —Kirkus Reviews, "Best of 2022: A Year of the 'Fully Booked' Podcast" “Oscar Hokeah’s debut novel… reads like a Louise Erdrich novel. Yet, while this inspiration seems clear, Hokeah’s story is profoundly original.” —Chicago Review of Books “A moving symphony of voices, and a beautiful story about loss and belonging." —Book Riot “Hokeah's novel not only tells a story that is ultimately uplifting, but also immerses readers in Oklahoma's Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican communities… Ever and his family aren't looking for a way to define themselves within a larger national identity, but they are trying to pry their lives from the forces of generational trauma that shape their community.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “With beautiful prose and a deeply moving cast of characters, Calling for a Blanket Dance introduces Oscar Hokeah as an important and exciting new voice in literary fiction.”—Electric Literature “Speaking to a shared experience of many Indigenous peoples, this novel puts readers in the shoes of a people trying to make their way in a country that has stolen their place.” —Morning Brew’s Sidekick “A necessary and important addition to your TBR.” —The Young Folks “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “Riveting… Hokeah’s character’s work their way through and beyond so many obstacles. What emerges is an authentic cultural voice speaking on behalf of the many ways family bonds bend, break, and hold on forever.” —KCUR (Kansas NPR) / Up To Date “Filled with astonishing immediacy, and embellished with Hokeah’s authentic voice, these epic stories soar with indelible images of a proud, but challenged, people who find strength through their blood-lines and their enduring familial love. Some characters are so broken and bitter that I was moved to tears. But most characters persevere, and thrive, through the indomitable will and pride of their heritage. Hokeah has accomplished something unique here. In his quietly brilliant depiction of his Cherokee/Kiowa/ Mexican heritage he has dipped into his medicine bag and gifted us with a small but compelling masterpiece. This should be required reading for every American.” —Kiana Davenport, author of Shark Dialogues “The characters that populate Calling for a Blanket Dance are real, amazing, vulnerable and beautiful in their flaws and, even despair—Oscar Hokeah unveils their suffering and joy, their struggle to live with honor, care for family, walk right. What an accomplishment. Few writers have the courage or craft to pull this off. Oscar Hokeah beats the drum and stomps, announcing his power is back, the people have returned with powerful stories. He weaves a tale that is unforgettable and fortifying. I couldn’t put the book down.” —Jimmy Santiago Baca, author of A Place to Stand “Calling for a Blanket Dance is a stunning novel. Oscar Hokeah writes from deep inside the heart of his communities, bringing life to generations of voices who became so real to me they felt like relatives. The reader can’t help but invest in each character as they navigate bitter challenges, sometimes surprising themselves with their strength, their ability to survive and love. Hokeah’s prose gorgeously weaves authentic local vernacular with the lyrical notes of hard-won insight. This novel belongs on every recommended booklist for fans of literary fiction.” —Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer “Hokeah offers us a rich tapestry of interconnected narratives, a chorus of distinct voices battling against history, failing bodies, and barren landscapes. We move through decades, fall in love and despair with the Geimaussadle family. The scale and beauty reminds you of One Hundred Years of Solitude set in Oklahoma. Here’s a True American Epic.” —Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don’t Belong “As a plethora of voices accompany Ever Geimausaddle's upbringing, we learn of challenges and resilience, the multilingual language of hope and the grace of forgiveness. Their lives, tender and difficult, full of awe and learning, remind us that the borderlands are fluid regions where families have intermingled, overcome challenges, and danced together for centuries." —Cristina Rivera Garza, author of Grieving: Dispatches from a Wounded Country “Oscar Hokeah is the real deal. A new voice with ancient music.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels “Oscar Hokeah brings to life a kaleidoscope of characters from an unforgettable Native American family. His depiction of Indigenous cultures honors their strength of community with remarkable love and healing humor, sending out a vital drumbeat of hope for future generations.”—Christian Science Monitor “Calling for a Blanket Dance stitches an intergenerational quilt of rich themes… unassuming, accessible, and profound.”—PopMatters “[Calling for a Blanket Dance] crosses multiple generations and cultures, always with a generous eye, connecting every strand in an indelible vision.” —Spectrum Culture “Author Oscar Hokeah and narrator Rainy Fields both give vivid, emotional performances in this intergenerational drama… Together, Hokeah and Fields bring this multifaceted novel to life, drawing listeners into the messy web of community and family that Ever inhabits.”—AudioFile Magazine “A lyrical, unputdownable multigenerational tale rooted in family and love.” —Portland Public Library “Hokeah’s debut novel proves the impact of generational resilience—what it means to pass down knowledge, tradition, and values… What sets the novel apart from a collection is that the characters refuse to stand alone, choosing to quilt their stories together. Calling for a Blanket Dance becomes a blanket, and, just like the stitches that bind them, it’s the love for community that holds the novel together.”—World Literature Today “A compelling book about how our family shapes how we are seen and who we become... Honest and powerful, great storytelling.”—The Southern Bookseller Review “A collective story about familial bonds that readers won’t soon forget.”—Tribal College: The Journal of American Indian Higher Education “A story of love and resiliency that is hard to put down. Calling for a Blanket Dance is a novel sure to remind many readers of their own families, the individuality that each person brings, the crucial role that community plays, and our interconnection."—Latinx in Publishing “Generations of struggles, questions, and trauma all come to a head in the person of Ever Geimausaddle, the Native American protagonist of this far-reaching story by Oscar Hokeah. As Ever struggles to figure out his place in the world and what his future looks like, stories from his parents, grandparents, and other members of his community intertwine with his in a tale that reaches far beyond just one man’s life.”—LifeSavvy “Calling for a Blanket Dance stitches an intergenerational quilt of rich themes… unassuming, accessible, and profound.”—PopmattersWinner of the PEN America/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel Finalist for the 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize Finalist for the L.A. Times Book Prize/Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction A TIME Must-Read Book of 2022 A BookPage Best Fiction Book of 2022 A Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction and Best Debut Book of 2022 “With intricate prose and unflinching vernacular, Oscar Hokeah chronicles a family and a community. We learn trials and aspirations for each generation, and witness what is woven into complicated arrival. We need these characters and their testimonies. But more than that, we crave –I crave—this kind of honest storytelling. These rhythms. These dances. This beauty. This welcoming to a place where the people speak and are unafraid.” —Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois “A profound reflection on the intergenerational nature of cultural trauma… Hokeah’s characters exist at the intersection of Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican identity, which provides a vital exploration of indigeneity in contemporary American letters.” —The New York Times Book Review “Hokeah skillfully recreates the years leading up to and following Ever’s birth, capturing the traumas and complexities that shaped him into who he is and may determine who he becomes.” —TIME “Quaking with age-old righteous anger but nevertheless luminescent with hope.” —ELLE “Oscar Hokeah explores family and identity, past and present, in his debut novel… Above all, the book explores family relationships, obligation, resentment, and devotion.”—The Boston Globe “Hokeah’s prose is punchy and descriptive, filled with Native American words and phrases that come naturally to the characters. This blending of languages is still uncommon in contemporary fiction, but the current Indigenous literary and cultural renaissance promises that more voices will grow this singularity into a rich multitude. But of course, renaissance is the wrong word to use here. Hokeah, who is of Mexican heritage as well as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the Kiowa Tribe of Oklahoma, shows that this tradition has been here the whole time, evolving and surviving.” —BookPage “This miraculous story presents a collective imagining not only of who its main character is, but who everyone else anticipated and dreamed he could become. It is a must-read.” — BuzzFeed “Drawing on a wealth of Indigenous tradition, Hokeah has produced in his debut a novel that underscores the quiet strength that arises when a family is true to its identity and the too common tragedy that results when identity is suppressed.” —The Millions “An auspicious debut . . . Recalling both Tommy Orange and Gabriel Garcia Marquez in its narrative structure . . . A book to deeply invest in.” —Chicago Review of Books “Remarkable.” —Shondaland “Told from a variety of voices, this story is one of love, loss, growth, tradition and evolution. Not to be missed.” —Ms. Magazine “[A] captivating debut . . . with striking insight into human nature and beautiful prose, this heralds an exciting new voice.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “What is wonderful about Hokeah’s debut is that each character gets to tell their own story, while also covering Ever’s life, who they each feel responsible for as part of their family and community. ... What we have with this book is a complete picture of one person as seen by others, and an entire community made up of Kiowa, Cherokee, and Mexican Americans, each with their own language, speech rhythms, and ways of seeing the world.” —Literary Hub “Hokeah’s debut will feel familiar to fans of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange . . . A novel that builds in richness and intricacy . . . Another noteworthy debut in what feels like an ongoing renaissance of Indigenous peoples’ literature, both reflecting this lineage and introducing an exciting, fresh new voice to the choir.” —Library Journal “As in the novels of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange, the chorus of voices—rendered in unadorned vernacular peppered with Indigenous words—evokes a close-knit Native community in all its varied humanity, anchored by tradition while marked by injustices past and present… Simply told and true to life.” —Kirkus Reviews “A masterwork of peripheral narration.” —Kirkus Reviews, "Best of 2022: A Year of the 'Fully Booked' Podcast" “Oscar Hokeah’s debut novel… reads like a Louise Erdrich novel. Yet, while this inspiration seems clear, Hokeah’s story is profoundly original.” —Chicago Review of Books “A moving symphony of voices, and a beautiful story about loss and belonging." —Book Riot “Hokeah's novel not only tells a story that is ultimately uplifting, but also immerses readers in Oklahoma's Kiowa, Cherokee and Mexican communities… Ever and his family aren't looking for a way to define themselves within a larger national identity, but they are trying to pry their lives from the forces of generational trauma that shape their community.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune “With beautiful prose and a deeply moving cast of characters, Calling for a Blanket Dance introduces Oscar Hokeah as an important and exciting new voice in literary fiction.”—Electric Literature “Speaking to a shared experience of many Indigenous peoples, this novel puts readers in the shoes of a people trying to make their way in a country that has stolen their place.” —Morning Brew’s Sidekick “A necessary and important addition to your TBR.” —The Young Folks “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “A coming-of-age tale that is uniquely Kiowa and Cherokee, and that celebrates connection, family and honor.” —Minnesota Public Radio / MPR News with Kerri Miller “Riveting… Hokeah’s character’s work their way through and beyond so many obstacles. What emerges is an authentic cultural voice speaking on behalf of the many ways family bonds bend, break, and hold on forever.” —KCUR (Kansas NPR) / Up To Date “Filled with astonishing immediacy, and embellished with Hokeah’s authentic voice, these epic stories soar with indelible images of a proud, but challenged, people who find strength through their blood-lines and their enduring familial love. Some characters are so broken and bitter that I was moved to tears. But most characters persevere, and thrive, through the indomitable will and pride of their heritage. Hokeah has accomplished something unique here. In his quietly brilliant depiction of his Cherokee/Kiowa/ Mexican heritage he has dipped into his medicine bag and gifted us with a small but compelling masterpiece. This should be required reading for every American.” —Kiana Davenport, author of Shark Dialogues “The characters that populate Calling for a Blanket Dance are real, amazing, vulnerable and beautiful in their flaws and, even despair—Oscar Hokeah unveils their suffering and joy, their struggle to live with honor, care for family, walk right. What an accomplishment. Few writers have the courage or craft to pull this off. Oscar Hokeah beats the drum and stomps, announcing his power is back, the people have returned with powerful stories. He weaves a tale that is unforgettable and fortifying. I couldn’t put the book down.” —Jimmy Santiago Baca, author of A Place to Stand “Calling for a Blanket Dance is a stunning novel. Oscar Hokeah writes from deep inside the heart of his communities, bringing life to generations of voices who became so real to me they felt like relatives. The reader can’t help but invest in each character as they navigate bitter challenges, sometimes surprising themselves with their strength, their ability to survive and love. Hokeah’s prose gorgeously weaves authentic local vernacular with the lyrical notes of hard-won insight. This novel belongs on every recommended booklist for fans of literary fiction.” —Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer “Hokeah offers us a rich tapestry of interconnected narratives, a chorus of distinct voices battling against history, failing bodies, and barren landscapes. We move through decades, fall in love and despair with the Geimaussadle family. The scale and beauty reminds you of One Hundred Years of Solitude set in Oklahoma. Here’s a True American Epic.” —Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don’t Belong “As a plethora of voices accompany Ever Geimausaddle's upbringing, we learn of challenges and resilience, the multilingual language of hope and the grace of forgiveness. Their lives, tender and difficult, full of awe and learning, remind us that the borderlands are fluid regions where families have intermingled, overcome challenges, and danced together for centuries." —Cristina Rivera Garza, author of Grieving: Dispatches from a Wounded Country “Oscar Hokeah is the real deal. A new voice with ancient music.” —Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels “Oscar Hokeah brings to life a kaleidoscope of characters from an unforgettable Native American family. His depiction of Indigenous cultures honors their strength of community with remarkable love and healing humor, sending out a vital drumbeat of hope for future generations.”—Christian Science Monitor “Calling for a Blanket Dance stitches an intergenerational quilt of rich themes… unassuming, accessible, and profound.”—PopMatters “[Calling for a Blanket Dance] crosses multiple generations and cultures, always with a generous eye, connecting every strand in an indelible vision.” —Spectrum Culture “Author Oscar Hokeah and narrator Rainy Fields both give vivid, emotional performances in this intergenerational drama… Together, Hokeah and Fields bring this multifaceted novel to life, drawing listeners into the messy web of community and family that Ever inhabits.”—AudioFile Magazine “A lyrical, unputdownable multigenerational tale rooted in family and love.” —Portland Public Library “Hokeah’s debut novel proves the impact of generational resilience—what it means to pass down knowledge, tradition, and values… What sets the novel apart from a collection is that the characters refuse to stand alone, choosing to quilt their stories together. Calling for a Blanket Dance becomes a blanket, and, just like the stitches that bind them, it’s the love for community that holds the novel together.”—World Literature Today “A compelling book about how our family shapes how we are seen and who we become... Honest and powerful, great storytelling.”—The Southern Bookseller Review “A collective story about familial bonds that readers won’t soon forget.”—Tribal College: The Journal of American Indian Higher Education “A story of love and resiliency that is hard to put down. Calling for a Blanket Dance is a novel sure to remind many readers of their own families, the individuality that each person brings, the crucial role that community plays, and our interconnection."—Latinx in Publishing “Generations of struggles, questions, and trauma all come to a head in the person of Ever Geimausaddle, the Native American protagonist of this far-reaching story by Oscar Hokeah. As Ever struggles to figure out his place in the world and what his future looks like, stories from his parents, grandparents, and other members of his community intertwine with his in a tale that reaches far beyond just one man’s life.”—LifeSavvy “Calling for a Blanket Dance stitches an intergenerational quilt of rich themes… unassuming, accessible, and profound.”—Popmatters “[A]n electric debut… This is an honest, heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting book about the attempts of a young man to visualize a place for himself when the world hasn’t made room for him.”—The Daily Star“With intricate prose and unflinching vernacular, Oscar Hokeah chronicles a family and a community. We learn trials and aspirations for each generation, and witness what is woven into complicated arrival. We need these characters and their testimonies. But more than that, we crave –I crave—this kind of honest storytelling. These rhythms. These dances. This beauty. This welcoming to a place where the people speak and are unafraid.”—Honorée Fanonne Jeffers, author of The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois“Calling for a Blanket Dance is a stunning novel. Oscar Hokeah writes from deep inside the heart of his communities, bringing life to generations of voices who became so real to me they felt like relatives. The reader can't help but invest in each character as they navigate bitter challenges, sometimes surprising themselves with their strength, their ability to survive and love. Hokeah's prose gorgeously weaves authentic local vernacular with the lyrical notes of hard-won insight. This novel belongs on every recommended booklist for fans of literary fiction.”—Susan Power, author of The Grass Dancer?“With solid Tommy Orange vibes, the first novel from Oscar Hokeah is a coming-of-age tale told from a chorus of multigenerational voices . . . One to watch, for sure.”—BookPage, 2022 Preview: Most Anticipated Fiction​“With solid Tommy Orange vibes, the first novel from Oscar Hokeah is a coming-of-age tale told from a chorus of multigenerational voices . . . One to watch, for sure.”—BookPage, 2022 Preview: Most Anticipated Fiction“[A] captivating debut… With striking insight into human nature and beautiful prose, this heralds an exciting new voice.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review“Hokeah offers us a rich tapestry of interconnected narratives, a chorus of distinct voices battling against history, failing bodies, and barren landscapes. We move through decades, fall in love and despair with the Geimaussadle family. The scale and beauty reminds you of One Hundred Years of Solitude set in Oklahoma. Here’s a True American Epic.”—Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don’t Belong“The characters that populate Calling for a Blanket Dance are real, amazing, vulnerable and beautiful in their flaws and, even despair—Oscar Hokeah unveils their suffering and joy, their struggle to live with honor, care for family, walk right. What an accomplishment. Few writers have the courage or craft to pull this off. Hokeah beats the drum and stomps, announcing his power is back, the people have returned with powerful stories. He weaves a tale that is unforgettable and fortifying. I couldn't put the book down.”—Jimmy Santiago Baca, author of A Place to Stand“Oscar Hokeah is a storyteller for the ages. Wise and compassionate, Calling for a Blanket Dance is a gift. I couldn’t put it down.”—Debra Magpie Earling, author of Perma Red“Filled with astonishing immediacy, and embellished with Hokeah’s authentic voice, these epic stories soar with indelible images of a proud, but challenged, people who find strength through their blood-lines and their enduring familial love. Some characters are so broken and bitter that I was moved to tears. But most characters persevere, and thrive, through the indomitable will and pride of their heritage. Hokeah has accomplished something unique here. In his quietly brilliant depiction of his Cherokee/Kiowa/Mexican heritage he has dipped into his medicine bag and gifted us with a small but compelling masterpiece. This should be required reading for every American.”—Kiana Davenport, author of Shark Dialogues“Quaking with age-old righteous anger but nevertheless luminescent with hope.”—ELLE“Hokeah’s debut will feel familiar to fans of Louise Erdrich and Tommy Orange… A novel that builds in richness and intricacy… Another noteworthy debut in what feels like an ongoing renaissance of Indigenous peoples’ literature, both reflecting this lineage and introducing an exciting, fresh new voice to the choir.”—Library Journal“As a plethora of voices accompany Ever Geimausaddle's upbringing, we learn of challenges and resilience, the multilingual language of hope and the grace of forgiveness. Their lives, tender and difficult, full of awe and learning, remind us that the borderlands are fluid regions where families have intermingled, overcome challenges, and danced together for centuries."—Cristina Rivera Garza, author of Grieving: Dispatches from a Wounded Country“Oscar Hokeah is the real deal. A new voice with ancient music.”—Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The House of Broken Angels

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Book SynopsisAfter her husband Alan's decades of financial fraud are exposed, Suzanne's wealthy, comfortable life shatters. Alan goes to prison. Suzanne files for divorce, decamps to a barely middle-class Massachusetts beach town, and begins to create a new life and identity. Ignoring a steady stream of calls from Norfolk State Prison, she tries to cleanse herself of all connections to her ex-husband. She tells herself that he, not she, committed the crimes.Then Alan is released early, and the many people whose lives he ruined demand restitution. But when Suzanne finds herself awestruck at a major whale stranding, she makes an apparently high-minded decision that ripples with devastating effect not only through Alan's life as he tries to rebuild but also through the lives of Suzanne and Alan's son, Alan's new wife, his estranged mother, and, ultimately, Suzanne herself.When damage is done, who pays? Who loses? Who is responsible?With biting wisdom, The Complicities examines the ways in which the stories we tell ourselves-that we didn't know, that we weren't there, that it wasn't our fault-are also finally stories of our own deep complicity.Trade Review"[A] perfect outing . . . With smooth shifts in perspective and understated and precise prose, D’Erasmo demonstrates a mastery of the craft. The result is propulsive and profound."—Publishers Weekly, starred review"The Complicities had me enthralled. This gripping, human tale of our crimes—financial, environmental, self-delusional—is impossible to put down. D’Erasmo weaves a thriller of a tale, exposing sticky webs of corruption that entangle our lives and fates, even those who fantasize about their innocence, redemption and escape."—Samantha Hunt, author of The Unwritten Book: An Investigation“The Complicities is a subtle masterpiece. Imagine a voice—lyrical and low, intimate and insistent—whispering in your ear. Half-told truths simmer below the surface, like the uneasy murmuring of a conscience. Mesmerized, you listen. There is menace here in D’Erasmo’s disquieted world, and terrible beauty, too. Things are not what they appear to be. We are not who we think we are, either, and yet we are complicit.”—Ruth Ozeki, author of The Book of Form and Emptiness“In Stacey D'Erasmo's wonderful new novel, The Complicities, the past catches up to the present and overtakes it. All the scattered misdeeds and cut corners and malfeasances come together as crimes, big and small, and the characters either see the criminality or try to ignore it. But this suspenseful novel sees it all, and I found myself enlightened and deeply moved by its compelling story.”—Charles Baxter, author of The Sun Collective“What does it mean—in such a corrupted world—to reckon with and atone for our own complicities? Stacey D’Erasmo’s latest unspools with the twisty intensity of a psychological thriller and the oceanic depth of a literary tour de force. The Complicities is an electrifying novel of powerful moral complexity, from a treasured writer working at the height of her powers.”—Laura van den Berg, author of I Hold a Wolf by the Ears

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Book SynopsisIn the early 1970s, in Stovall, Texas, seventeen-year-old Earl-a loner, a dreamer, a lover of music and words-meets and is quickly infatuated with Tina, the new girl in town. She convinces Earl to drive her to see her mother in Austin, where, after a hazy night of partying, Earl and Tina are separated. Two days later, Earl is being questioned by the police about Tina's disappearance and the blood in the trunk of his car. But Earl can't remember what happened in Austin, and with little support from his working-class family, he is sentenced for a crime he did not commit.Forty years later, Earl is released into an America so changed he can barely navigate it. Determined to have the life that was taken from him, he settles in a small town on the Oregon coast and works to overcome the emotional toll of incarceration. But just as Earl finds a chance to begin again, his past returns to endanger the new life he's built.Steeped in the music and atmosphere of the 1970s, I Am the Light of This World is a gritty, gripping, and gorgeously written story of the impulsive choices of youth, redemption, mercy, and the power of the imagination.Trade Review“I Am the Light of This World is as true and moving a book, as honest, as gripping, as any I have ever read. I continue to be haunted by this tragic novel--its note-perfect depiction of clueless youth, its bad breaks, bad choices, bewilderments and quirks, and, above all, the small moments of mercy that give hope in the midst of a hopeless situation. How do you piece together a broken life that wasn't much in the way of whole to begin with? With a career's worth of powerhouse fiction already in the books, Michael Parker has delivered his strongest work yet. I Am the Light of This World is a novel of truly singular beauty and wisdom.”—Ben Fountain, author of Beautiful Country Burn Again“I Am the Light of This World is as true and moving a book, as honest, as gripping, as any I have ever read. I continue to be haunted by this tragic novel--its note-perfect depiction of clueless youth, its bad breaks, bad choices, bewilderments and quirks, and, above all, the small moments of mercy that give hope in the midst of a hopeless situation. How do you piece together a broken life that wasn't much in the way of whole to begin with? With a career's worth of powerhouse fiction already in the books, Michael Parker has delivered his strongest work yet. I Am the Light of This World is a novel of truly singular beauty and wisdom.” —Ben Fountain, author of Beautiful Country Burn Again“Earl Boudreaux, the protagonist of Michael Parker's stunning new novel is one of the great inventions in recent fiction. Watching this beautiful dreamer get lost in a netherworld where fate, and drastic human error are disastrously intertwined, I realized that “Earl” is just another word for the hopeful, hopeless, yearning, worn-out soul of America. Parker is just flat out astonishing.” —Marisa Silver, bestselling author of Mary Coin and The Mysteries“I Am the Light of this World is a grimy, gutsy, glorious, novel and one of my favorite books in recent memory. Somehow, Michael Parker channeled the ghosts of Kent Haruf and Harry Crews (the good angel and the bad) to write this literary gem which is as lowdown and gritty as it is graceful and profound. An unforgettable novel that sings out on every page.”—Nickolas Butler, author of Shotgun Lovesongs and Godspeed“I Am the Light of this World is a grimy, gutsy, glorious, novel and one of my favorite books in recent memory. Somehow, Michael Parker channeled the ghosts of Kent Haruf and Harry Crews (the good angel and the bad) to write this literary gem which is as lowdown and gritty as it is graceful and profound. An unforgettable novel that sings out on every page.” —Nickolas Butler, author of Shotgun Lovesongs and Godspeed“A gut punch of a novel — lyrical, mordantly funny, and wrenching.” —Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble“A gut punch of a novel — lyrical, mordantly funny, and wrenching.”—Kelly Link, author of Get in Trouble“From the opening sentence on, I was transfixed, locked into the phonic level of Earl’s world and somehow magically both rooted and flying. I don’t know how Michael Parker does it. There is the rhythm of the sentences and the deep attention to sensory details but there is also something even more ineffable going on here. This novel is incredible. Read it! Read it! Read it!”—Mesha Maren, author of Perpetual West“From the opening sentence on, I was transfixed, locked into the phonic level of Earl’s world and somehow magically both rooted and flying. I don’t know how Michael Parker does it. There is the rhythm of the sentences and the deep attention to sensory details but there is also something even more ineffable going on here. This novel is incredible. Read it! Read it! Read it!” —Mesha Maren, author of Perpetual West“Michael Parker’s latest is a haunting story of how easily life can go off the rails. This book made me thank my lucky stars on every riveting page, as it simultaneously had me outraged at the ravening gyre of uneven justice and circumstance. I Am the Light of ThisWorld finds Parker working in profundities both deeply spiritual and relevant.” —Smith Henderson, author of Fourth of July Creek

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Book SynopsisLinwood Barclay meets Michael Farris Smith in this Southern-set domestic thriller about family, vengeance, and atonement.

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Book SynopsisJosie Lloyd’s fearless novel is a tribute to the power of the human spirit in the face of hardship, based on the author’s own experience with cancer and community. In the vein of Mary Ellen Taylor's Honeysuckle Season this “amazing, breathtaking, and inspiring” (Jenny Colgan) novel is full of hope and heart.When Keira first receives her breast cancer diagnosis, she never expects to end up joining a running group with three women she’s only just met. Totally blind-sided, all she can think about is how she doesn’t want to tell her family or step back from work. Nor does she want to be part of a group of fellow cancer patients. Cancer is not her club.And yet it’s running – hot, sweaty, lycra-clad running in the company of brilliant, funny women all going through treatment – that unexpectedly gives Keira the hope she so urgently needs. Because Keira will not be defined by the C-word. And now, with the Cancer Ladies’ Running Club cheering her on, she is going to reclaim everything: her family, her identity, and her life.One step at a time.Moving, uplifting and full of hope, this is a beautifully crafted novel about love, family and the power of finding your tribe.

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Book SynopsisThis award-winning novel about a woman facing her past introduces Terranova to English-speaking audiences. Translated by Ann Goldstein, translator of Elena Ferrante''s Neapolitan quartet.Finalist, Premio Strega, 2019 Winner, Premio Alassio Centolibri Selected among the 10 Best Italian Books of 2018 by Corriere della SeraIda is a married woman in her late thirties, who lives in Rome and works at a radio station. Her mother wants to renovate the family apartment in Messina, to put it up for sale and asks her daughter to sort through her things--to decide what to keep and what to throw away.      Surrounded by the objects of her past, Ida is forced to deal with the trauma she experienced as a girl, twenty-three years earlier, when her father left one morning, never to return. The fierce silences between mother and daughter, the unbalanced friendships that leave her emotionally drained, the sense of an identity based on anomaly, even the relationship with her husband, everything revolves around the figure of her absent father. Mirroring herself in that absence, Ida has grown up into a woman dominated by fear, suspicious of any form of desire. However, as her childhood home besieges her with its ghosts, Ida will have to find a way to break the spiral and let go of her father finally.     Beautifully translated by Ann Goldstein, who also translated Elena Ferrante''s Neapolitan quartet, Farewell, Ghosts is a poetic and intimate novel about what it means to build one''s own identity.

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Book SynopsisA young kindergarten teacher from Hong Kong and an American expat meet serendipitously on China’s southernmost island of Hainan, a paradise where the boundless sea meets the wide sky. Soon after, young Vivi and Matthew marry and set off to live out their dreams on an organic farm in Indiana. Then, an unexpected tragedy leaves Vivi devastated. Struggling to maintain the farm as well as the bonds she has formed with Matthew’s family, Vivi wrestles with Matthew’s sudden absence from her life in this emotional investigation via a series of remembered conversations, letters, inner monologues, and journal entries that span over twenty years. Invisible Orphans delves into the universal feelings of love and loss, capitulation and perseverance, and as the dust settles, an appreciation for the strange mystery of being alive. Trade Review"Across China and the U.S.—and many other places in between—Invisible Orphans illuminates the tensions of strangeness and belonging, heartbreak and love, destruction and growth in both physical and relational environments. This novel offers a complex rendering of a marriage within a larger portrait of grief, memory, and mental health. Jade Moon Le’s keen sensitivity moves us beyond cultural taboos and stigma and into compassion and feeling. Through the painful prism of loss, we see the luster of life."—Rachel Rueckert, author of East Winds

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Book SynopsisAn electrifying novel about illness, displacement, and what holds us together, by the author of Seeing RedElla is an astrophysicist struggling with her doctoral thesis in the country of the present but she is from the country of the past, a place burdened in her memory by both personal and political tragedies. Her partner, El, is a forensic scientist who analyzes the bones of victims of state violence and is recovering from an explosion at a work site that almost killed him. Consumed by writer's block, Ella finds herself wishing that she would become ill, which would provide time for writing and perhaps an excuse for her lack of progress. Then she begins to experience mysterious symptoms that doctors find undiagnosable.As Ella's anxiety grows, the past begins to exert a strong gravitational pull, and other members of her family come into focus: the widowed Father, the Stepmother, the Twins, and the Firstborn. Each of them has their own experience of illness and violence, and eventually the systems that both hold them together and atomize them are exposed.Lina Meruane's Nervous System is an extraordinary clinical biography of a family, full of affection and resentment, dark humor and buried secrets, in which illness describes the traumas that can be visited not just upon the body, but on families and on the history of the countriespresent and pastthat we live in.

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Book SynopsisA stunningly ambitious, prescient novel about madness, generational trauma, and cultural breakdown At the outset of the 2008 financial crisis, Em has a dependable, dull marketing job generating reports of vague utility while she anxiously waits to hear news of her sister, Ad, who has gone missing-again. Em's days pass drifting back and forth between her respectably cute starter house (bought with a "responsible, salary-backed, fixed-rate mortgage") and her dreary office. Then something unthinkable, something impossible, happens and she begins to see how madness permeates everything around her while the mundane spaces she inhabits are transformed, through Lucy Corin's idiosyncratic magic, into shimmering sites of the uncanny. The story that swirls around Em moves through several perspectives and voices. There is Frank, the tart-tongued, failing manager at her office; Jack, the man with whom Frank has had a love affair for decades; Em and Ad's eccentric parents, who live in a house that is perpetually being built; and Tasio, the young man from Chiapas who works for them and falls in love with Ad. Through them Corin portrays porousness and breakdown in individuals and families, in economies and political systems, in architecture, technology, and even in language itself. The Swank Hotel is an acrobatic, unforgettable, surreal, and unexpectedly comic novel that interrogates the illusory dream of stability that pervaded early twenty-first-century America.

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Book SynopsisA tender, merciless portrait of a life going to pieces by the internationally acclaimed author of Out Stealing Horses.Men in My Situation, Per Petterson's evocative and moving new novel, finds Arvid Jansen in a tailspin, unable to process the grief of losing his parents and brothers in a tragic ferry accident. In the aftermath, Arvid's wife, Turid, divorced him and took their three daughters with her. One year later, Arvid still hasn't recovered. He spends his time drinking, falling into fleeting relationships with women, and driving around in his Mazda. When Turid unexpectedly calls for a ride home from the train station, he has to face the life they've made without him.Critics have already hailed Men in My Situation as the equal of Petterson's international bestseller Out Stealing Horses, in part for his unflinching portrayal of Arvid's dark night of the soul. In this moment of faltering hope and despair, Arvid's daughter Vigdiswho he's always felt understood him besthas a crisis of her own and reaches out. Now he must find a way to respond to someone who, after everything, still needs him. Reaching the heights of Petterson's best work, Men in My Situation is a heartrending, indelible story from a celebrated author.

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Book SynopsisThe shimmering, windswept first novel by the internationally acclaimed author of Out Stealing Horses. Echoland is the powerful and emotionally resonant first novel from Per Petterson. Written in the mold of his early story collection Ashes in My Mouth, Sand in My Shoes, it features a young Arvid Janssen, who is now twelve, on the verge of his teenage years and beginning to understand more about the world and his place in it. Set over the course of a single formative summer, the novel captures a series of episodes from Arvid's long visit to his grandparents' home in Denmark. He rides his bike around town, befriends other children on the beach, fishes for plaice, and weathers misunderstandings with his mother and grandparents, all of which Petterson imbues with the hope and yearning that come with this stage of life. Echoland is an assured and poignant beginning for an authorand characterwho would go on to be loved the world over.

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Book SynopsisA perceptive, moving novel about life and death in the Basque Country, from the author of Nevada Days.Bernardo Atxaga's Water over Stones follows a group of interconnected people in a small village in the Basque Country. It opens with the story of a young boy who has returned from his French boarding school to his uncle's bakery, where his family hopes he will speak again. He's been silent since an incident in which he threw a stone at a teacher for reasons unknown. With the assistance of twin brothers who take him to a river in the forest, he'll recover his speech. As the years pass, those twins, now adults, will be part of a mining strike in the Ugarte region, and so take up the mantle of the narrative, just as others will after them.Water over Stones is similar in nature to Atxaga's earlier books Obabakoak and The Accordionist's Son, as it weaves in themes of friendship, nature, and death. Yet in capturing a span of time from the early 1970s, when the shadow of the Franco dictatorship still loomed, to 2017, when these boys must learn to leave their old beliefs behind and move on, Atxaga finds new richness and depth in familiar subjects. As threads of water run over stones in the river, so these lives run together, and, over time, technology and industry bring new changes as the wheel of life turns.

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Book SynopsisA tender, merciless portrait of a life going to pieces by the internationally acclaimed author of Out Stealing Horses.Arvid Jansen is in a tailspin, unable to process the grief of losing his parents and brothers in a tragic ferry accident. He spends his time drinking, falling into fleeting relationships with women, and driving around in his Mazda. A year ago, his wife Turid took their three daughters and left him. When Turid unexpectedly calls for a ride home from the train station, he faces the life they've made without him.Now in paperback, Per Petterson's latest novel, which has been hailed by critics as the equal of his international best seller Out Stealing Horses, explores Arvid's dark night of the soul. In this moment of faltering hope and despair, his daughter Vigdiswho he's always felt understood him besthas a crisis of her own and reaches out to him. He must find a way to respond to someone who, after everything, still needs him. Reaching the heights of Petterson's best work, Men in My Situation is a heartrending, indelible story from a major international writer.

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Book SynopsisA propulsive, kaleidoscopic novel about a fractured family and the persistence of hope.One night, seventeen-year-old Wolf steals his mother?s car and drives six hundred kilometers in search of his sister, who left home ten years ago. Unlicensed and on edge, he veers onto the wrong side of the road and causes an accident. He is arrested and incarcerated, forcing his mother and sister to reconnect and pick up the pieces in order to fight for his release.What follows is a lyrical, precise, and unflinching account of the events that led to this moment, told through the alternating perspectives of Wolf?s mother, sister, and grandfather, as well as the doctor who was present at Wolf?s birth. With each chapter, new versions of the story and views of reality unfold, and they fit together like puzzle pieces: in an uncertain order at first, and then slowly falling neatly into place as the pages turn. As details about the characters? lives and the disconnections in their relationships are revealed, the story becomes even more propulsive, even more compelling.In this raw and poignant novel, Nathacha Appanah considers how trauma shapes generations and the wounds it leaves behind. The Sky above the Roof is both a portrait of a fractured family and a poetic exploration of the ways we break apart and rebuild.

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