Synopses & Reviews
The astrobiologist Theo Byrne searches for life throughout the cosmos while single-handedly raising his unusual nine-year-old, Robin, following the death of his wife. Robin is a warm, kind boy who spends hours painting elaborate pictures of endangered animals. He's also about to be expelled from third grade for smashing his friend in the face. As his son grows more troubled, Theo hopes to keep him off psychoactive drugs. He learns of an experimental neurofeedback treatment to bolster Robin's emotional control, one that involves training the boy on the recorded patterns of his mother's brain...
With its soaring descriptions of the natural world, its tantalizing vision of life beyond, and its account of a father and son's ferocious love, Bewilderment marks Richard Powers's most intimate and moving novel. At its heart lies the question: How can we tell our children the truth about this beautiful, imperiled planet?
Review
"[Powers] wants to challenge our innate anthropocentrism, both in literature and how we live." — Alexandra Alter, New York Times
Review
"Intimate....Powers is an essential member of the pantheon of writers who are using fiction to address climate change." — Carolyn Kellogg, Los Angeles Times
Review
"An unabashed tearjerker....The most moving and inspiring of all Powers's books." — Gish Jen, The New Republic
About the Author
Richard Powers is the author of thirteen novels, including The Overstory and Orfeo, and the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, the Pulitzer Prize, and the National Book Award. He lives in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.