Living to Tell

Readers familiar with Nelson's previous two novels and three collections of short fiction will be pleased to find her abundant gifts on display in this ambitious new novel: her wild wit, piercing insight and fearless candor. In richly detailed scenes, full of a rueful fondness for its hapless characters, the narrative plunges into a year in the life of the Mabie family: parents, three adult children and two grandchildren, all of them living under one roof. The narrative opens the day the Mabies' middle son, 33-year-old Winston, returns to his family home in Wichita, Kans., after a five-year stint in state prison for manslaughter. Although Winston and his adjustment to civilian life appear at first to be the novel's subject, whatever his turmoil (and little of it is narrated), the troubles of the rest of the family overwhelm it. While Winston was away, his older sister, Emily, divorced her substance-abusing husband and moved back home with her children; his younger sister, Mona, attempted suicide after a failed affair with a married man; Professor Mabie retired; and Mrs. Mabie began to lose her sight. With the perspective shifting from character to character, the novel follows each of their trials. Professor Mabie watches as Betty Spitz, his best friend and soulmate, dies of cancer. Mona finds herself dumped by another married man, and Emily, the competent mother and business woman, faces a grim and unexpected illness. Add to that a robbery, an abortion, a fire and a dognapping: this is not an uneventful book. Throughout, Winston remains in the background, quietly taking care. His acts often go unnoticed, and the family, especially the father, misread his character. But Nelson roots her characters so solidly in the particulars of their times and lives that the reasons for their actions and misunderstandings are poignantly clear; in particular, she captures with sharp insight the resentful devotion of siblings. The relationship between Mona and Emily is especially powerful, and the gift Emily gives Mona at the novel's end is a simple, heartbreaking lifesaver. One question may remain after the final page: how does Nelson manage to be so funny, so tenderly scathing and so wise? 7-city author tour. (June) FYI: Nelson has received the Chicago Tribune's Heartland Award, the Flannery O'Connor Award and the PEN/Nelson Algren Award.