"Everybody's Son probes directly into the tender spots of race and privilege in America. . . . With assured prose and deep insight into the human heart, Umrigar explores the moral gray zone of what parents, no matter their race, will do for love." -- Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You
The bestselling, critically acclaimed author of The Space Between Us and The World We Found deftly explores issues of race, class, privilege, and power and asks us to consider uncomfortable moral questions in this probing, ambitious, emotionally wrenching novel of two families--one black, one white.
During a terrible heat wave in 1991--the worst in a decade--ten-year-old Anton has been locked in an apartment in the projects, alone, for seven days, without air conditioning or a fan. With no electricity, the refrigerator and lights do not work. Hot, hungry, and desperate, Anton shatters a window and climbs out. Cutting his leg on the broken glass, he is covered in blood when the police find him.
Juanita, his mother, is discovered in a crack house less than three blocks away, nearly unconscious and half-naked. When she comes to, she repeatedly asks for her baby boy. She never meant to leave Anton--she went out for a quick hit and was headed right back, until her drug dealer raped her and kept her high. Though the bond between mother and son is extremely strong, Anton is placed with child services while Juanita goes to jail.
The Harvard-educated son of a US senator, Judge David Coleman is a scion of northeastern white privilege. Desperate to have a child in the house again after the tragic death of his teenage son, David uses his power and connections to keep his new foster son, Anton, with him and his wife, Delores--actions that will have devastating consequences in the years to come.
Following in his adopted family's footsteps, Anton, too, rises within the establishment. But when he discovers the truth about his life, his birth mother, and his adopted parents, this man of the law must come to terms with the moral complexities of crimes committed by the people he loves most.
About the Author :
Thrity Umrigar is the author of seven novels Everybody's Son, The Story Hour, The World We Found, The Weight of Heaven, The Space Between Us, If Today Be Sweet, and Bombay Time; a memoir, First Darling of the Morning; and a children's picture book, When I Carried You in My Belly. A former journalist, she was awarded a Nieman Fellowship to Harvard and was a finalist for the PEN Beyond Margins Award. A professor of English at Case Western Reserve University, she lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
Josh Bloomberg has recorded audiobooks for most of the major publishers, lending his voice to many different genres. His versatility and acting background have helped him access the styles needed for a variety of works. He has narrated several notable works, including titles by Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling authors (some of them, under a pseudonym). He directed the audiobook for The Storm of the Century, written by Al Roker. He also announced the categories and nominees at the 2017 Audie Awards ceremony. Josh also performs on-screen, recently on the Netflix series Greenhouse Academy, and records commercial voice-over projects. Josh is a member of the Audio Publishers Association.
Review :
"Everybody's Son probes directly into the tender spots of race and privilege in America...Umrigar explores the moral gray zone of what parents, no matter their race, will do for love."
-- "Celeste Ng, New York Times bestselling author"
"[Anton's] personal journey is a moving one that many fiction readers can appreciate."
-- "Library Journal"
"[An] evocative tale...offers a troubling look at race and the conflicting desires of two families."
-- "Washington Post"
"A potent examination of race and privilege...Everybody's Son is uncompromising in its portrayal of what power reveals about those who wield it."
-- "Booklist"
"Be forewarned: this novel is not a beach read...It's a book that will leave you unsettled and haunted."
-- "W magazine"
"Jarring and beautiful, Umrigar's novel examines complex social issues with brutal honesty, but also creates accessible characters with relatable motives, reminding us of the deep-seated racism that exists even in the places we don't think to look."
-- "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"
"Narrator Josh Bloomberg provides a thought-provoking reading of this exploration of race relations, the 'white savior' complex, and the depth of family bonds...Bloomberg's narration immerses the listener in the story by capturing Anton's accent and youthful hesitancy, Anton's mother's Georgia accent, and the adoptive family's cool reserve and Northeastern accent."
-- "AudioFile"
"Through strong characterizations and a compassionate, compelling narrative, Thrity Umrigar explores...the meaning of family."
-- "Minneapolis Star Tribune"
