Joyce Carol Oates was honored with the current American Humanist of the Year award. The announcement in the Humanist magazine noted that she is a prolific author with nearly 40 published novels in addition to a large number of short story collections, novellas, plays and some nonfiction. I was embarrassed to admit that I had never even heard of neither her nor her work.

I went to the local bookstore and picked a book pretty much at random. I was really impressed with Ms. Oates' writing style and her character development.

The book is told from the point-of-view of several characters. Each of the new narrators overlaps with the previous speaker, explaining the events from his or her own perspective and then moves the story forward. The result is a fascinating tale of Americana.

The setting is Niagara Falls where a newly wed couple who are both rural, perhaps a little too old for marriage, and children of Presbyterian ministers travel for their honeymoon. Their wedding night at the motel in Niagara Falls is perhaps less that successful and so the groom, feeling disgraced, throws himself over the observation point. The bride waits a full seven days for his body to be found--apparently it really takes that long to surface.

During this ordeal she is observed by a gentleman, a presumed bachelor for life, of an old established local family. He is totally taken with the abandoned bride and they end up marrying and raising a family. He is a lawyer by vocation and accidentally meets some early victims of Love Canal. He decides that he must pursue justice and fights against the establishment, who are his friends and family.

The couple progresses from early marital bliss to being somewhat estranged and then at odds over the direction of their careers. The children are left to cope with being odd and outcast.

I really enjoyed this book; its insights, style, and readability are truly remarkable.

--Wayne Wilson