First published 2005
Artie Rubin has reached 67 believing he understands how life works. Then forces he cannot stop or predict tear through everything he has built. His marriage, his friendships, his sense of safety in the world all face threats that make him question what matters most. The September 11 attacks shake not just the city around him but the foundations of how he sees himself and his place in the world. Artie must navigate between holding onto the people he loves and accepting that some things lie beyond his control. As he watches friends struggle with their own fears and family members grapple with an uncertain future, Artie discovers that vulnerability and love intertwine in ways he never expected. The story follows his journey through a period when endings and beginnings blur together, when the connections that seemed permanent prove fragile, and when the act of continuing to live becomes both harder and more necessary than before.
Genres: american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century, family-drama
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, emotional-journey
Setting: New York
Period: September 11
308 pages · Hardcover · Sourcebooks
Content warnings: mental-illness