by Dara Horn
First published 2003
Bill Landsmann lives in a New Jersey suburb, spending his retirement years traveling the world to photograph biblical scenes for his slide collection. When he meets Leora, his granddaughter's friend, their encounter sets off a chain of discoveries that will reshape both their lives. Leora is a young woman struggling to find her place in the world, caught between tradition and modernity. As she moves forward into adulthood, Bill's memories pull him backward through decades of family history. Their stories intertwine across generations, revealing hidden connections between their families' pasts and futures. The novel traces Leora's journey toward understanding herself and her heritage while Bill grapples with the weight of memory and loss. Together, they must navigate the space between holding onto the past and embracing what lies ahead.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, intergenerational
Setting: New Jersey
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
280 pages · Paperback · W. W. Norton & Company