Mary and O'Neil: A Novel in StoriesWINNER OF THE PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD • “An astonishingly good first novel . . . fully engaging from the first paragraph. What a gift: to be able to live alongside these people for a while.”—Ann Patchett, Chicago Tribune Mary and O’Neil: They are like any other couple. They have survived loss and found love and managed the occasional hard-earned laugh as they move toward the future, hearts thick with hope. Each human life is ever changing, born of moments large and small—births and deaths and weddings, grave mistakes and chance encounters and acts of surprising courage—and in this unforgettable book, Justin Cronin makes vivid how those moments connect us all, making us more than we could ever be on our own. Alight with nuance, sly humor, and startling wisdom, Mary and O’Neil celebrates the uncommon grace to be found in common lives Praise for Mary and O’Neil “Admirably fearless.”—The New York Times Book Review “The kind of storytelling that goes down easy, and sticks to your ribs.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer “Cronin succeeds, touchingly and tenderly, in portraying life itself as a triumph of hope over experience.”—The Boston Globe |
Contents
LAST OF THE LEAVES | 1 |
ORPHANS | 73 |
LIGHTNESS | 97 |
GROOM | 123 |
MAMMALS | 141 |
GHOSTS OF WINTER | 167 |
LIFE BY MOONLIGHT | 193 |
A GATHERING OF SHADES | 209 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
already arms Arthur asked baby beside body boys called closed cold course Curtis dark don't door dream dressed drive empty eyes face fall father feel felt friends girl glass gone hair hand happened happy head hear holding inside It's Jack kissed kitchen knew late later laugh leaves light living looked Mary Mary's mind Miriam morning mother moved never night Noah O'Neil once paint parents passed play pulled realized remember rest returned running Sandra says seemed seen side sitting sleep smile snow sorry sound standing Stephen stepped stopped talk tell thing thought told took town turned voice waiting walked watched wearing weeks window woman wondered