[BCF]⇒ Libro Gratis The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs A Novel edition by Janet Peery Literature Fiction eBooks

The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs A Novel edition by Janet Peery Literature Fiction eBooks

Download As PDF : The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs A Novel edition by Janet Peery Literature Fiction eBooks

Winner of the Library of Virginia's Emyl Jenkins Sexton Literary Award for Fiction!

"A brilliantly moving and unforgettable novel." - Jill McCorkle, author of Life After Life

Janet Peery’s first novel, The River Beyond the World, was a National Book Award finalist in 1996. Acclaimed for her gorgeous writing and clear-eyed gaze into the hearts of people, Peery now returns with her second novel, The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs.

On a summer evening in the blue-collar town of Amicus, Kansas, the Campbell family gathers for a birthday dinner for their ailing patriarch, retired judge Abel Campbell, prepared and hosted by their still-hale mother Hattie. But when Billy, the youngest sibling—with a history of addiction, grand ideas, and misdemeanors—passes out in his devil’s food cake, the family takes up the unfinished business of Billy’s sobriety.

Billy’s wayward adventures have too long consumed their lives, in particular Hattie’s, who has enabled his transgressions while trying to save him from Abel’s disappointment. As the older children—Doro, Jesse, ClairBell, and Gideon—contend with their own troubles, they compete for the approval of the elderly parents they adore, but can’t quite forgive.

With knowing humor and sure-handed storytelling, Janet Peery reveals a family at its best and worst, with old wounds and new, its fractures and feuds, and yet its unbreakable bonds.

The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs A Novel edition by Janet Peery Literature Fiction eBooks

I have read all of Peery's books and am struck each time I open one up about that beauty of the writing. Well crafted as each sentence is, the character development is what drives this story forward and to a heart felt conclusion.


Tags : The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs: A Novel - Kindle edition by Janet Peery. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs: A Novel.,ebook,Janet Peery,The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs: A Novel,St. Martin's Press,Family Life,060101 St Martins Trade Fiction,AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY FICTION,American Contemporary Fiction - Individual Authors +,Brothers and sisters,Domestic fiction,Domestic fiction.,Drug addiction;Fiction.,FICTION Family Life General,FICTION Literary,Families,Families;Fiction.,Family Life,Family Life General,Fiction,Fiction-Literary,FictionFamily Life - General,GENERAL,General Adult,Kansas,Substance abuse,United States,literary fiction; family life; drug addiction; kansas books; literary novels; contemporary fiction; contemporary novels; contemporary literature; women authors; alcoholism; dysfunctional families; dysfunctional family novels; addiction; alcohol addiction; novels about addiction; Alcoholism fiction; stories about alcoholics; blue collar fiction; middle class fiction; middle class novels; books set in Kansas; generational novels; august Osage county; family feuds novels; novels about dysfunctional families; the river beyond the world; books for book groups; book group recommendations; sibling rivalry fiction; books about complicated families; multiple character perspectives; multi character narratives; character driven stories; character driven novels,FICTION Family Life General,FICTION Literary,Family Life General,FictionFamily Life - General,American Contemporary Fiction - Individual Authors +,Fiction

The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs A Novel edition by Janet Peery Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews

With American opioid drug use reaching astounding levels by 2016, government officials have vowed to provide funding to meet the challenges to fight this epidemic that has claimed so many lives. “The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs” (2017) is a dramatic and provocative portrayal of family life and addiction in the American heartland by Janet Peery, an award winning and bestselling short story writer and novelist. Peery’s debut “Alligator Dance Stories” (1998) remains in print, this is her fourth book.

The Campbell’s lived in Amicus, Kansas. The patriarch of the family, an elderly retired judge/attorney Abel Campbell was a WWII veteran that served in Saipan. With a quick and brilliant mind, he studied science and physics. He was a “man’s man” an outdoorsman that enjoyed hunting/fishing. Abel, a perfectionist, had high exact standards for behavior and was profoundly disappointed in his baby boom generation adult children who had brought shame to their once respected family name he had worked diligently to preserve. Often, from the bench and with other connections, his family members had to be excused from legal charges and violations.
Hattie, married for over sixty years to Abel had tried to shield her children from their father’s scathing wrath and judgment. As a daughter of pioneers, she was thoughtful and kind serving her community through church and civic duties. With all the scandals involving her adult children’s multiple divorces, public intoxication, DUI’s, drug/alcohol related embarrassing public confrontations, firearms violations, foreclosures, and family estrangement when “family problems” were brought to light-- Hattie was deeply troubled over these issues. In her late 80’s with a heart condition, she prayed that she would outlive her youngest son Billy, who was often unable to pay his rent or buy groceries.
The oldest daughter “Doro” (Theodora) had relocated to the east coast, and had successfully raised two daughters as a single parent. Smart and literary minded, she loved poetry and literature, wrote Western novels under a pen-name, and had a great job working at a college in her community. Doro's siblings viewed her as a goody two shoes and know it all, so she had to watch her critical opinions of her siblings carefully. Doro returned to Kanas with greater frequency to help with her elderly parents increasing hospitalizations and health issues, and additional alarming family problems.
Jesse the oldest son since their brother Nick had passed away. Nick's premature death was due to a genetic heart condition combined with sepsis, and not his heroin addiction. Jesse, a brooding moody man had tried to keep his alcohol consumption under control. His family didn’t approve of his renting a room in his house to Patsy Gaddy, a floosy who had broken his heart numerous times.
Gideon A menacing darkness in his character caused others to avoid him. His sister called him the “Uni-Bomber”. Still, he was thoughtful and concerned about his family, and sincerely tried to help. He usually carried a flask of alcohol tucked inside his coat pocket.
ClairBell Fiercely devoted to her parents, opinionated, obnoxious, judgmental, and very jealous of anyone who had the slightest advantage over her, real or imagined. The large amount of pills she took were prescribed by a doctor. ClairBell spent most of her days on her couch, affected by a variety of ailments; she loved bingo, blackjack, and yard sales, and never hesitated too loudly voice her thoughts and ideas.
Billy The youngest 40-something, at one time or another, had ingested every illegal substance known to man. He was a confident happy-go-lucky flamboyant gay man, and used his charm and colorful personality to get the money he needed to buy drugs. Everyone loved him, and likely felt sorry for him because of his HIV status, his life prolonged for decades by AZT drug therapy. Billy's siblings were most anxious to have him admitted to a rehab facility/program.

This novel was never meant to be a pleasant feel good type story. Rather, the focus is on addictive behavior patterns such as co-dependency, enabling, control and manipulation, scapegoating, lying and other problems that impact families with substance and alcohol related issues. The Campbell’s needed to unite as a family—set aside differences, and deal constructively with themselves and each other, as this expertly developed storyline evolved and boldly moved to a realistic and unforgettable conclusion.
**With thanks and appreciation to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for the direct e-copy for the purpose of review.
The place is Amicus, Kansas; the Campbell family has come together to celebrate the birthday of their frail, ancient patriarch, Abel. Ultimately, though, their attention is drawn, unavoidably, to the youngest among them. Billy is a walking pharmacy, but he won’t be walking anywhere for much longer if something isn’t done.

I read this book free and early thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press. If I had paid full retail price, it would have been worth every red cent. It had me at hello.
.
But back to the Campbells of Kansas. Everyone has known for some time about Billy’s dependency issues; he’s been riding the roller coaster of addiction for many years. Billy’s father wants to take a hard line with him, while his mother, Hattie, just wants to bring him home and tuck him into the guest bedroom. Brother Jesse objects, “He’s forty-fricking-seven, Mom.”

Elder daughter Doro, who is sixty and perhaps the only sane, normal person in the family, is concerned for her mother, who is past eighty and has already had a heart attack. Doro reminds her mother that “It’s Amicus. It’s your family. Where two’s company and three turns into an intervention.”

The setting of Amicus and the time period we see as we reach back into the family’s history is well rendered, but remains discreetly in the background as it should, not hijacking the story. The story itself is based on character, not just of any one person, but of the family itself. By the twenty percent mark I feel as if I have known these people all my life. The full range of emotion is in play as I immerse myself in this intimate novel, and there are many places that make me laugh out loud.

It isn’t too long before I can identify someone I know that is a Hattie, and someone that is a Billy. Given the widespread horror of opiate addiction, I will bet you a dollar that you know someone too. But before the halfway mark is reached, a terrible sense of dread comes over me, an aha moment I would not wish on my worst enemy. I begin to sense that perhaps I am Hattie.

I hope that you can get this book and enjoy it for its sly humor, brilliant word-smithery, and unmatchable character development. It’s excellent fiction, just exactly right for a chilly autumn evening in your favorite chair or snuggled beneath the quilts. But for me, it is valuable as a wake-up call, and it will do the same for many other readers also—I have no doubt.

It’s the right story, at the right time.
This book was boring and the climax was slow to get to. This book followed a family with your usual drama, with all the characters being older- there just didn't seem to be a lot going except reminiscing
I have read all of Peery's books and am struck each time I open one up about that beauty of the writing. Well crafted as each sentence is, the character development is what drives this story forward and to a heart felt conclusion.