by Pat Conroy
First published 1995
Reeling from his wife's suicide, Jack McCall flees to Rome with his daughter. But his solitude shatters when his sister-in-law begs him to return home. Two old friends need his help finding a long-lost classmate from the Vietnam War. Drawn back to the American South, Jack must confront his own traumatic history as he searches for the truth. This bittersweet journey through love, loss, and the power of family will leave him forever changed.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family, grief, trauma
Setting: Italy, Rome, South Carolina
Period: Vietnam War
628 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday
Content warnings: suicide