I listened to a Guardian Books podcast today that included an interview with writer Andrew Solomon about his latest book, Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity. I didn't realize until today that it had won the 2012 National Book Critics Circle award for general non-fiction. One of his earlier books, The Noonday Demon: an Atlas of Depression, is a favorite that I've recommended to others.
Far from the Tree explores families where there is a profound difference between parents and child: deaf child of hearing parents, gay child of straight parents, child with schizophrenia, child becomes a criminal, and even child prodigy who possesses an incredible talent. It took him over 10 years to research and write it. This page on the Guardian website has a short article, and also a video of Solomon discussing the book.
Once in a while, I learn about a book that I want to buy new, and even in hardcover, because it's important to me to support that author's work and career -- a financial affirmation, if you will. Even though it's over 900 pages, I'm pretty sure I'll be buying my own copy of Far from the Tree, and soon. And it might take me years, but I will read it!
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