From American master Richard Ford, a memoir: his first work of nonfiction, a stirring narrative of memory and parental love
How is it that we come to consider our parents as people with rich and intense lives that include but also exclude us? Richard Ford's parents--Edna, a feisty, pretty Catholic-school girl with a difficult past; and Parker, a sweet-natured, soft-spoken traveling salesman--were rural Arkansans born at the turn of the twentieth century. Married in 1928, they lived "alone together" on the road, traveling throughout the South. Eventually they had one child, born late, in 1944.
For Ford, the questions of what his parents dreamed of, how they loved each other and loved him become a striking portrait of American life in the mid-century. Between Them is his vivid image of where his life began and where his parents' lives found their greatest satisfaction.
Bringing his celebrated candor, wit, and intelligence to this most intimate and mysterious of landscapes--our parents' lives--the award-winning storyteller and creator of the iconic Frank Bascombe delivers an unforgettable exploration of memory, intimacy, and love.
About the Author :
Richard Ford is the author of The Sportswriter; Independence Day, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award; The Lay of the Land; and the New York Times bestseller Canada. His short story collections include the bestseller Let Me Be Frank With You, Sorry for Your Trouble, Rock Springs and A Multitude of Sins, which contain many widely anthologized stories. He lives in New Orleans with his wife Kristina Ford.
Christian Baskous is an AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator. His theatrical credits include numerous roles in the New York Shakespeare Festival, Circle in the Square, the Kennedy Center, and Theater for the New City, as well as other regional theaters. His film and television work includes appearances in Glory, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Law & Order, Swan's Crossing, and Swift Justice.
Review :
"A masterful distillation of sensuous description, psychological intricacy, social insights, and a keen sense of place. Ford's reflections are bright with wit, edgy with candor, and lustrous with extraordinary poignancy and love."
-- "BookPage"
"A subtle, careful testament to devotion and a son's love for his parents."
-- "Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"
"Bright with wit, edgy with candor, and lustrous with extraordinary poignancy and love."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"Every page of this little remembrance teems with Ford's luxuriant prose, his moving and tender longing for his parents, and his affecting and intimate portrait."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"In this beautiful and tender memoir, Ford seems to see all of the important details. He makes his readers grateful that he shared them."
-- "Portland Press Herald (Maine)"
"Insightful, enlightening, and emotionally evocative, especially as performed by narrator Christian Baskous...Baskous uses his dulcet voice and practiced pacing most effectively in scenes in which Ford describes living with his colorful grandfather...Fans of [Ford's] iconic character Frank Bascombe may find real-life connections between the character and the artist in this examination of recollection, intimacy, and love. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile"
"Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Ford turns to nonfiction but remains in storytelling mode as he recalls his freewheeling parents."
-- "Library Journal"
