First published 1981
John Tremont drops everything when his mother suffers a heart attack. He rushes to the hospital expecting the worst, but she survives the crisis. His father proves to be the real problem. Left shaken and alone, the old man starts to crumble. He stops eating properly, forgets simple tasks, and seems to lose his grip on living itself. John finds himself trapped in an exhausting new role. His nineteen-year-old son joins him, and together they navigate the relentless demands of elder care. They manage medications, doctor visits, and daily routines that stretch on without end. John watches his father surrender piece by piece to old age and despair. The situation forces John to confront his own position in life. His son grows restless and eager to escape back to his own world. His father appears ready to give up entirely. John stands caught between these two forces, watching one generation rush toward the future while another drifts toward death. The experience becomes a meditation on family bonds and the weight of responsibility that passes from parent to child.
Genres: literary-fiction, 20th-century, adult-fiction, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-drama, generational-conflict
400 pages · Hardcover · Cape, Jonathan