First published 1981
Richard Bausch's first novel follows characters navigating the complexities of family relationships and personal history. The story examines how people confront their past decisions and attempt to rebuild connections that have frayed over time. Bausch focuses on the intimate dynamics between family members as they struggle with forgiveness, regret, and the possibility of starting over. The characters face choices about whether to retreat into familiar patterns or risk vulnerability for the chance at genuine reconciliation. The novel centers on the tension between holding onto grievances and letting go of old wounds. Bausch writes with careful attention to the small moments that reveal larger truths about human nature and the bonds that both sustain and constrain us.
Genres: american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Period: 21st-Century
362 pages · Hardcover · Dial Press