Leo King is a newspaper columnist who has fought his own demons on a mental ward. “Somehow,” homely Leo says, recalling his family’s reaction to the death of his “dazzling” older brother, Stephen, who slit his throat and wrists with a razor, “we managed to survive that day, but none of us ever experienced the deliverance of recovery.” The novel sets out to probe the lives of Stephen and Leo’s family and friends. It alternates between 1969, when a group of high-school seniors become linked through Leo, and 1989, when they meet up again
The idea for this book was conceived out of necessity. As most people these days, I am very busy. I design and develop web sites for small businesses. And, while I enjoy cooking and eating meals, I just don't have the time to shop and plan them. Over the years, and with the help of friends I have learned what foods I like, and that there are many ways to combine and prepare the same ingredients. Realizing this, I set out to organize these ingredients into one shopping list.
