First published 2009
David Cross works out at the gym, his body growing thin in the months after his wife Nancy's death. The former television news anchor has retired, and his adult children Ed and Lucy worry he's searching for a replacement for their mother. They don't understand that David feels oddly liberated, even happier than before Nancy's illness took her. Ed struggles with his dancer wife Rosalie to start a family while Lucy hides from a destructive former boyfriend. The family that once revolved around Nancy now spins without its center. Each member grapples with personal chaos and the challenge of moving forward. David's journey takes him deep into the African desert to visit his estranged brother, where an unexpected revelation awaits. This story explores how people rebuild their lives after profound loss and discover that grief can coexist with surprising forms of joy.
Genres: literary-fiction, grief, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, second-chance
Setting: Africa, Desert
Period: Contemporary
305 pages · Paperback · Bloomsbury USA
Content warnings: death