The Distance Home

Description

Must a child's past define their future? 'Luminous . . . heartbreaking . . . I haven't read anything this good in a long time' Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry In 1960s rural America two siblings grow up in a place of love and turmoil. Rene is the apple of her father's eye: an over-achiever, athletic, clever, the best brain in class, and the best dancer in school. Her older brother Leon, doted on by his mother, is shy, a stutterer, but also a brilliant dancer. Rene and Leon share a talent, but it is a gift their father adores in his daughter, and loathes in his son, and that could make all the difference. These two children may be best friends, but life promises to take them down very different paths . . . The Distance Home is the story of two children growing up side by side - the one given opportunities the other just misses - and the fall-out in their adult lives. Funny and tragic, both intimate and universal, Paula Saunders' debut is about how our parents shape the adults we become. It is a hugely moving story of devotion and neglect, impossible to put down - these are characters you will forever hold close to your heart. 'Deeply involving . . . rich, shimmering, sensuous' Jennifer Egan, author of A Visit From the Goon Squad

Paula Saunders grew up in South Dakota. She is a graduate of the Syracuse University creative writing program, and was awarded a postgraduate Albert Schweitzer Fellowship in the Humanities at the State University of New York at Albany, under then-Schweitzer Chair, Toni Morrison. She lives in California with her husband. They have two grown daughters.

Deeply involving . . . rich, shimmering, sensuous -- Jennifer Egan, author of A Visit From the Goon Squad Stark and beautiful . . . luminous . . . Heartbreaking, full of compassion . . . I haven't read anything this good in a long time -- Rachel Joyce, author of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry A heartfelt tale of brutal parental love . . . one of the most convincing portraits of a mother-daughter bond that I have read . . . generous, humane * The Times * Sensitively imagined and perceptively told . . . affecting and rewarding * Daily Mail * Moving and startling . . . a true, and rare, accomplishment -- Michael Cunningham, author of The Hours Riveting . . . it kept me turning pages in the wee hours. One of the best books I've read in years - destined to become a classic. -- Mary Karr, author of The Liars' Club Saunders skillfully illuminates how time heals certain wounds while deepening others, and her depiction of aging is viscerally affecting . . . The Distance Home becomes a mediation of the violence of American ambition - and a powerful call for self-examination * New York Times * Smart and empathetic, highlighting how prejudice can make us forget about love * Elle Magazine * Evocative, moving and deeply immersive . . . There is an undeniable beauty to this epic portrayal of the complex and intimate nature of human relationships - well worth a read * Woman & Home * Superb * Irish Times * Slow-burning and contemplative . . . the emotional stakes are nevertheless high . . . exquisitely rendered by Saunders in long, perfect sentences * Daily Telegraph * Incredibly assured * Observer * Bracing and beautiful . . . it will break your heart and open it up -- Maile Meloy, author of Do Not Become Alarmed Beautiful, tender . . . fans of Elizabeth Strout will love it * Prima Magazine * An exquisite, searing portrait of family . . . The Distance Home will leave readers eager for more from this extraordinarily talented writer * Booklist (starred review) * Penetrating and insightful * Publishers Weekly * The author's compassion for her characters shines through in this honest story * Library Journal * Honest, and true . . . this soul-searching first novel offers everywhere that most mysterious and essential of artistic achievements: heart. -- Douglas Unger, author of Leaving the Land and Voices from Silence Extraordinary . . . beautiful, evocative . . . The Distance Home is heart-breaking and full of compassion -- Dana Spiotta, author of Innocents and Others A tender book * Independent i * Beautifully written, atmospheric and emotionally powerful * Northern Echo *