Anne Tyler gives us a wise, haunting, and deeply moving new
novel in which she explores how a middle-aged man, ripped
apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her
frequent appearances—in their house, on the roadway, in the
market.
Crippled in his right arm and leg, Aaron spent his childhood
fending off a sister who wants to manage him. So when he
meets Dorothy, a plain, outspoken, self-dependent young
woman, she is like a breath of fresh air. Unhesitatingly he
marries her, and they have a relatively happy, unremarkable
marriage. But when a tree crashes into their house and
Dorothy is killed, Aaron feels as though he has been erased
forever. Only Dorothy’s unexpected appearances from the dead
help him to live in the moment and to find some peace.
Gradually he discovers, as he works in the family’s
vanity-publishing business, turning out titles that presume
to guide beginners through the trials of life, that maybe
for this beginner there is a way of saying goodbye.
A beautiful, subtle exploration of loss and recovery,
pierced throughout with Anne Tyler’s humor, wisdom, and
always penetrating look at human foibles.
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