The Frequency of Living Things: A Novel

A heartbreaking American epic about three sisters who unearth lifetimes of family tensions as they are forced to rescue one of their own from peril, testing the limits of sacrifice, sisterhood, and forgiveness from the author of the “profound work of great wisdom” (Alice Elliott Dark) The Great Transition.

Josie may be the youngest sister, but she takes care of everyone. She is the left-brained scientist to her twin sisters’ right-brained artistic chaos. She makes sure their rent gets paid on time, they make their therapy appointments, and has also been their de-facto band manager since she was a teenager. When Ara, her middle sister (by a few minutes), calls from jail, it isn’t exactly a surprise, and Josie knows exactly how to snap into action.

Emma is the quintessential frontwoman, complete with looks and attitude. But the success of The Twins’ first (and only) album—gold records, Grammy nominations, and diehard fans—is two decades behind her. Hiding under the surface of her swagger is a long-held guilt that has turned her into her sister’s enabler. Emma knows she needs Ara’s creative genius and thinks a jailhouse record could be just the thing to get Ara her freedom and their band back on the main stage.

Ara is detoxing, not only from her opioid habit but also from her family. The truth is, as crazy as it sounds, she’s not in a hurry to get out of lock-up. In the most unlikely and dangerous of places, this could be her chance to face the demons of her past and disentangle herself from her family.

Bertie, who raised her three daughters as a single mother, has always taught them that family won’t always be around to take care of you. A former defense attorney and perennial do-gooder, she’s committed to taking care of everyone less fortunate even if that means putting her girls’ needs second. But now Bertie must decide if she should reenter her daughters’ lives in their greatest time of need—or watch to see if the resilience she’s taught them will help carry them through.

A story both intimate and sweeping, The Frequency of Living Things explores the timeless question of how our individual destinies are intertwined with our family, our siblings, and our history no matter how we try to untangle ourselves from them.

About the Author :
Nick Fuller Googins has published short stories and essays in The Paris Review, the Los Angeles Times, The Southern Review, and elsewhere. He lives in Maine and works as an elementary school teacher. He is the author of The Great Transition and The Frequency of Living Things. 

Review :
“[This] emotionally resonant family saga celebrates the potent bonds between mothers, daughters and sisters.” —The Washington Post “[A] stirring family epic.”—Harper’s Bazaar “The beauty and the tragedy of Fuller Googins' second book is how all of the characters try to reach the same frequencies and how they fail and then try again… At once harrowing and gorgeous, The Frequency of Living Things will leave the reader stunned and touched.”—Booklist (starred review) “Activism, addiction, trauma, art, and science all harmonize…a feminist punk anthem hidden inside a family drama.” —Shelf Awareness “In The Frequency of Living Things, Nick Fuller Googins captures the intricate forces of human connection with stunning prose: a rare blend of music, language, and depth. With a piercing understanding of the complexities of the human heart, Googins explores both the destructive and healing connections that tether us to those we love. The destinies of the three sisters, Josie, Emma, and Ara, explode off the page. Wise, clever, and profound, this novel is an exploration of the natural world, sisterhood, addiction, sacrifice, and the impossible choices of love.” —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times Bestselling author of The Secret Book of Flora Lea “The Frequency of Living Things is a masterfully written family saga, an ode to how our mothers, daughters and sisters often understand us better than we do ourselves. I would gladly spend forever with the fiercely loving, bitingly tender Tayloe sisters and their complicated, heroic mother. Heartbreaking yet filled with hope, Googins's sophomore novel cements him as one of our greatest contemporary novelists.” —Cat Shook, author of If We're Being Honest PRAISE FOR THE GREAT TRANSITION

“The Great Transition sets itself apart through its visionary scope and possibility for change…Urgent but hopeful.” —Chicago Review of Books “A page-turner chock full of optimistic ideas for how we can reimagine our collective future.” —Lit Hub “Emotionally compelling and humane.” —The Washington Post “A magnificent debut novel that’s both an important cautionary tale and a deeply compelling family story. Although set in a stunningly well-imagined future in the aftermath of a climate apocalypse, The Great Transition is electrifyingly relevant. I can’t remember ever being more impressed with a first novel.” —William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author of This Tender Land