First published 2005
In a sweltering Midland summer, a young man confronts his first sexual desires while witnessing unexpected brutality that teaches him hard lessons about courage and commitment. Meanwhile, a former politician takes his asthmatic grandson on a journey to a small Oklahoma community where local officials have asked him to mediate tensions involving Native American residents. The old man and boy find their relationship deepening as they work through the complex dispute together. Across Texas oil country, a sister guards her hidden life on the wrong side of the railroad tracks until her brother stumbles upon her secrets, forcing both siblings to confront the resentments and misunderstandings that have divided them since childhood. Daugherty weaves these interconnected tales through the dusty landscapes of Texas and Oklahoma, where family conflicts mirror larger social tensions and where understanding often emerges from the most surprising sources.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, social-issues, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Midland, Texas, Oklahoma
Period: Sweltering Summer
192 pages · Hardcover · Southern Methodist Univ Pr
Content warnings: violence