by Richard Ford
First published 2006
Frank Bascombe sits at his desk, crafting stories about athletes who live in worlds of pure focus. At thirty eight, this sportswriter envies that single minded dedication. His own life feels scattered and uncertain. His career has stalled. His marriage has crumbled. His son is dead. Now Frank drifts through his days with a dreamy detachment, his heart sometimes racing without warning. During one pivotal Easter week, the last pieces of his familiar existence will fall away. Frank must navigate the wreckage of everything he once counted on. Yet something unexpected waits on the other side of this collapse. As his old life dissolves completely, Frank discovers a strange kind of freedom. His spirit begins to lift in ways he never anticipated.
Genres: american-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, introspective, slice-of-life
367 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury Publishing
Content warnings: mental-illness