Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish

The late Rakoff’s novel swoops through 20th-century America—depicting a turn-of-the-century slaughterhouse in Chicago, hobos traversing the nation during the Great Depression, the confusion following the Great War, the casual sexism of the 1950s, the ravaging of communities by the AIDs epidemic, the flaunting of wealth of the 1980s, and a whole lot more. Rakoff’s book is written in rhyming couplets—this, and the knowledge of the authors’ recent passing after a battle with cancer, give this audio edition an eerie, haunting quality. Rakoff’s years in radio make him an adept performer, but those familiar with his work will be stunned when they hear this reading: it is clear he is very ill. Yet there’s an incredible power to the narration, and this will resonate with listeners. A Doubleday hardcover. (July)