Author Jesmyn Ward's latest novel, Salvage the Bones, tugs at the heartstrings with its harrowing tales of a broken family and irresponsible paternals, juxtaposed by stories of love, sacrifice and triumph.
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In the town of Bois Sauvage on Mississippi's Gulf Coast exists a family of five run by a patriarchal drunk and devoid of a maternal figure. Salvage the Bones follows the families' oldest daughter, Esch, as she prepares her family for a fast-moving hurricane. While their absent, alcoholic father is largely unable to help them weather the storm, Esch and her three brothers work hand in hand to ensure their family's survival.
Salvage the Bones is an engaging novel that, on the surface, seems like a sorrowful tale of a broken household, yet holds beneath it the cherished story of family and loyalty. Salvage the Bones is out Sept. 6.
Previous recommendation: New Book: Hip-Hop Changed Corporate America.
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