"An old-fashioned novel, in the best sense of that phrase, elegantly wrought, hardheaded, and tenderhearted."-Michael Chabon on A Company of Three

"A first novel that soars."-The New York Timeson Like China

As America emerges from the Depression, the Hatherfords build a comfortable life just outside of New York City, in rural Bergen County, New Jersey. They are a glamorous couple: Vern is the charismatic owner of a successful Ford dealership, and his flamboyant wife Maeve is beautiful even in middle age. When their three-year-old son Scott falls prey to polio, and later, another son must go to war, their marriage slowly implodes. In the midst of it all, twelve-year-old Patsy steals swallows of whiskey and tries to make sense of the world around her, which includes an unusual intimacy between her brother Scott, and Julian, a young African American boy who lives among them.

Neither historical nor medical fiction, The Cureoffers the pleasures of both in its richly complex portrayal of the lives and times of its characters. A beautifully written family saga about race, war, childhood illness, and romantic desire, The Curehas at its heart wounding and the struggle for hope.

Varley O'Connoris the author of A Company of Three(Algonquin, 2003) and Like China(Morrow, 1991). She has taught writing at Hofstra University; Brooklyn College; University of California, Irvine; and the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. She has been an actress for television, theater, and film and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

"Bellevue Literary Review's new trade book list releases its first title, the third novel by O'Connor (A Company of Three). This observant saga centers on the affluent Hatherford family in 1940s Bergen County, New Jersey. A WWI vet, Vern operates a thriving Ford dealership. His wife Maeve, though glamorous, seeks constant attention for her polio-like symptoms. Her son Scott also suffers from a crippling case of polio, and his friend Julian is perhaps too caring-a problem complicated when Scott's kid sister Patsy witnesses one of the boys' more intimate moments. Dr. Mat Wayne plays family doctor, godparent and therapist to the dysfunctional Hatherfords and falls hard for Maeve. World War Two looms in the background. Rich details about polio and its treatment lend sympathy to characters prone to adultery, wife-beating and drinking. Despite their flaws, the Hatherfords manage to carry on with a gutsy spirit." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Varley O'Connor is the author of A Company of Three (Algonquin, 2003) and Like China (Morrow, 1993). She has taught writing at Hofstra University, Brooklyn College, University of California, Irvine, and the Squaw Valley Community of Writers and has been an actress for television, theater, and film. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.