I Know This Much is True

Wally Lamb's classic novel of transgression and redemption (AP: "A masterpiece") is now an e-book. E-book exclusive extra: "Who Is Wally Lamb?," an essay by the author. A contemporary retelling of an ancient Hindu myth: a proud king must confront his demons to achieve salvation. Change yourself, the myth instructs, and you will inhabit a renovated world. Dominick Birdsey's entire life has been compromised and constricted by anger and fear, by the paranoid schizophrenic twin brother, Thomas, whom he both loves and resents. Born in the waning moments of 1949 and the opening minutes of 1950, the twins are physical mirror images who grow into separate yet connected entities: the seemingly strong and protective yet fearful Dominick, his mother's watchful "monkey"; and the seemingly weak and sweet yet noble Thomas, his mother's gentle "bunny." From childhood, Dominick fights for both separation and wholeness – and ultimately self-protection – in a house of fear dominated by Ray, a bully who abuses his power over his stepsons whose biological father is a mystery. Dominick's lifelong talent for survival comes at an enormous cost, including the breakup of his marriage to the warm, beautiful Dessa, whom he still loves. And it will be put to the ultimate test when Thomas, a Bible-spouting zealot, commits an unthinkable act that threatens the balance of both his and Dominick's lives. To save himself, Dominick must confront not only the pain of his past but the dark secrets he has locked deep within himself, and the sins of his ancestors – a quest that will lead him beyond the confines of his blue-collar New England town to the volcanic foothills of Sicily, where his ambitious and vengefully proud grandfather was born. Set against the vivid panoply of twentieth-century America and filled with richly drawn characters, this moving and thoroughly satisfying novel brings to light humanity's deepest needs and fears, our aloneness, our desire for love and acceptance, our struggle to survive at all costs. Joyous, mystical and exquisitely written, I Know This Much Is True is an extraordinary experience that will leave no reader untouched.

About the Author :
Wally Lamb’s first novel, ‘She’s Come Undone’, won rave reviews when it was published in 1992. It was a finalist in the ‘Los Angeles Times’ First Novel Award, a Top Ten book for ‘People’ magazine and a Notable Book for the ‘New York Times’. Both ‘She’s Come Undone’ and ‘I Know This Much Is True’ have been chosen for Oprah’s Book Club. Wally Lamb now teaches writing at the University of Connecticut. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and their three sons.

Review :
"Every now and then a book comes along that sets new standards for writers and readers alike. Wally Lamb's latest novel is stunning – and even that might be an understatement… this is a masterpiece." Associated Press "An exercise in soul-baring storytelling – with the soul belonging to twentieth-century America itself. It's hard to read and to stop reading, and impossible to forget." USA Today