First published 1993
Howard delivers a rich tapestry of American experience in this sweeping novel. The story weaves together multiple characters whose lives intersect across different time periods and social circumstances. Through intimate portraits of ordinary people facing extraordinary moments, the narrative explores how personal histories shape identity and community. The characters navigate love, loss, and the search for meaning in contemporary America. Howard's storytelling combines humor with serious themes, creating a vivid portrait of American society. The novel examines how individual stories connect to form a larger national narrative. Characters confront questions of belonging, tradition, and change as they move through their interconnected lives. The book presents both tender moments and raw human experiences, building toward revelations about what binds people together across generations and circumstances.
Genres: family-life, american-fiction, 20th-century, american, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, interconnected-lives
Setting: America
Period: Contemporary
Paperback · Perennial