An Ocean In Iowa: A Novel

An Ocean In Iowa: A Novel

by PeterHedges (Author)

Synopsis

Scotty Ocean is turning seven years old, and he has announced earlier in his life that seven is going to be his year. It does turn out to be his year, but not the year he imagined. It is the year his mother leaves the family. At first, Scotty does astonishing things to get her to return. When he comes to believe she won't be moving back, he tries to replace her. Ultimately, he decides he must take drastic action to remain forever seven. Hedges brings to vivid life the unforgettable Ocean family: Scotty and his two older sisters; their father, at once stern and loyal; and their mother, Joan, a character of heartbreaking complexity. An Ocean in Iowa is a timeless book about the delicate balance of families. Beautifully crafted and constantly surprising, it explores the fragile contracts between parents and children, and what it really means to grow up.

$18.70

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 258
Edition: 1st Scribner Paperback Fiction Ed
Publisher: Touchstone
Published: 26 Apr 1999

ISBN 10: 068485970X
ISBN 13: 9780684859705

Media Reviews
Shirley Manson Harper's Bazaar This funny and supremely moving book is full of hope and possibilities and robustness of spirit.
Jen Nessel The New York Times Book Review Hedges has the ability to climb into a child's mind and simply look around.
Cynthia Hanson The Christian Science Monitor Hedges manages to make his novel a delightful romp through the age of seven with an endearing character who revels in life's smallest details.
Patrick Beach The Des Moines Register Hedges absolutely shines....An Ocean in Iowa is funny, touching, mysterious, and absurd.
Liesel Litzenburger Detroit Free Press Peter Hedges's quietly devastating new novel...is unapolegetically simple and pure, a sadly perfect little tale.
Dale Jones Cedar Rapids Gazette An Ocean in Iowa is a delightful read, full of fancy and vivid imagery of suburban Iowa in the 1960s.
Michael Giltz Entertainment Weekly Funny, unaffected prose...'A.'
Author Bio
Peter Hedges, the author of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa. He now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and two children.