Pat D. (pat0814) reviewed on 4/8/2011 + 379 more book reviews

Henry Powell, the middle child of a family with three sons, is destined to lead a sad and meaningless life when he is responsible for the death of his younger brother when he is very young. His father is ultimately a failure as a businessman, a father and husband. Henry's mother is an alcoholic whose aspirations to becoming part of a "higher" social status fail and her life spins out of control following the death of her youngest child. Henry shows early promise as a high school athlete, but his athletic scholarship to a noted university is thwarted when he is needed at home to care for his mother, and ultimately becomes her primary caretaker. He settles permanently into what was a part-time job at a men's clothing store while he was in high school and remains there until he is middle-aged and the store closes. Henry is constantly astounded by the rapid passage of time as he reconnects with former classmates who have succeeded in life. This is a tragic story of a life never fully lived with the recurrent theme of what might have been for Henry.

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