The Book of Why

Eric Newborn is used to dealing with people whose lives are in crisis; he's the bestselling author of several motivational books, and an inspirational speaker. When Eric's wife dies, he finds that grief renders him helpless. There is no easy cure, no platitude to comfort him, no replacement with which to fill the deep trough of his loss. So he retreats, with his female dog, Ralph, to his isolated home on Martha's Vineyard.

Five years later, on a wild, storm-wracked night, a car crashes at the end of Eric's lane and a woman turns up at his door, seeking help. Sam is a fan who has tracked him down, convinced that Eric will sort out the co-incidences that have both destroyed and coloured her life.

As Eric and Sam spin around one another like constellations in a greater universe, they set out to search for answers to their questions, and to find some meaning in the signs that we all see.

A powerful love story and an evocative exploration of the mechanics of the soul, THE BOOK OF WHY is a tender, thought-provoking novel which also addresses intricate questions about the nature of human joy.

“'Remarkable...as dark and dazzling as a mine shaft studded with diamonds'”

Remarkable...as dark and dazzling as a mine shaft studded with diamonds - The New York Times Book Review

Dark, powerful - Publishers Weekly

Montemarano dares to peer into the subconscious, to analyse how we process emotions like love, desire and guilt, and to examine the innermost workings of the human soul. - Lancashire Evening Post

Nicholas Montemarano is the author of a story collection, IF THE SKY FALLS and a novel, A FINE PLACE. He is associate professor of English at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA.

Eric Newborn is used to dealing with people whose lives are in crisis; he's the bestselling author of several motivational books, and an inspirational speaker. When Eric's wife dies, he finds that grief renders him helpless. There is no easy cure, no platitude to comfort him, no replacement with which to fill the deep trough of his loss. So he retreats, with his female dog, Ralph, to his isolated home on Martha's Vineyard.Five years later, on a wild, storm-wracked night, a car crashes at the end of Eric's lane and a woman turns up at his door, seeking help. Sam is a fan who has tracked him down, convinced that Eric will sort out the co-incidences that have both destroyed and coloured her life.As Eric and Sam spin around one another like constellations in a greater universe, they set out to search for answers to their questions, and to find some meaning in the signs that we all see. A powerful love story and an evocative exploration of the mechanics of the soul, THE BOOK OF WHY is a tender, thought-provoking novel which also addresses intricate questions about the nature of human joy.

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