The Birthdays

On an island off the coast of Maine, the Miller family reunites to celebrate the father's seventy-fifth birthday. Each of the adult children is expecting a first child, and at the same time each is at a major crossroads in life. The eldest, Daniel, still reeling from a car accident that has left him a paraplegic, is also grappling with the fact that his wife had to be artificially inseminated. Jake, the middle child, discovers that his wife is carrying twins after many trying years of fertility treatments. Hilary - the free-spirited youngest daughter - arrives in Maine five months pregnant with no identifiable father in sight. As the family gathers, something shattering happens from which no one will emerge the same. deftly explores the myriad ways of seeking sustenance after disappointment or loss. Reading group guide included.

"Undeniably gratifying...subtly riveting....This isn't just a terrific family novel; it's a terrific novel through and through." Ploughshares

"Pitlor writes with a delicate hand to absorbing effect." Entertainment Weekly

"Offers sharp insights into simmering resentments and misunderstandings among relatives." People

"Pitlor demonstrates a remarkable understanding of family relationships and transitions." Seattle Post-Intelligencer

On an island off the coast of Maine, the Miller family reunites to celebrate the father's 75th birthday. Each of the adult children is expecting a first child, and at the same time each is at a major crossroads in life. The novel deftly explores the myriad ways of seeking sustenance after disappointment or loss.

"Captivating, moving, painfully funny, and so very, very true."--Julia Glass

Heidi Pitlor's fiction has been published in Ploughshares. She is a former senior editor at Houghton Mifflin and, as of 2007, will be the annual series editor for The Best American Short Stories. She lives in Boston, Massachusetts.