Staff Pick
Chabon uses a memoir-ish format to tell the story about his grandparents' often-turbulent marriage. Or, at least, that's what he says he's doing. Our narrator is Chabon's grandfather, who painstakingly retells the story of his complicated and troubled marriage. Addressing issues of mental illness, the love of science, death, grief, marriage, and the toll on family when one member is mentally ill, Chabon does a wonderful job. His prose is straightforward; he has a great facility for humor, and I was sucked into his story immediately. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com