The Language of Love and Loss

More about the book

Readers will be captivated by this clever, deeply touching novel from an award-winning author. When his difficult mother is diagnosed with ALS, a sharp-witted yet sensitive artist reluctantly returns to his New Hampshire hometown, confronting the ghosts of his past. For Noah York, home is Oakland, New Hampshire, where his mother, Virginia, experienced a psychotic breakdown and where he endured a brutal teenage beating. Now thirty-seven and struggling as an artist in Providence, Rhode Island, Noah grapples with painful memories of both good and bad times. Virginia, now a successful poet, has immortalized Noah in her famous poem, “The Lost Soul,” a label he cannot escape. Meanwhile, J.D., the one who got away due to Noah's mistakes, is happily married to a man Noah despises. Reluctant to heed his mother’s call, Noah learns she has devastating news and a request he can't ignore. He embarks on a journey to find a sister and extended family he never knew, navigates family drama, and confronts his past, including J.D. and the unresolved feelings that linger. Bittersweet, hilarious, and moving, this story explores the complexities of growing older, getting lost, and ultimately finding one's way back to the truths that matter most.