One long last summer for Dad Lewis in his beloved town, Holt, Colorado. As old friends pass in and out to voice their farewells and good wishes, Dad's wife and daughter work to make his final days as comfortable as possible, knowing all is tainted by the heart-break of an absent son. Next door, a little girl with a troubled past moves in with her grandmother, and down town another new arrival, the Reverend Rob Lyle, attempts to mend strained relationships of his own. Utterly beautiful, and devastating yet affirming, Benediction explores the pain, the compassion and the humanity of ordinary people.
'With startling emotional insight, he makes you feel awe at even the most basic of human gestures' Esquire
'Benediction suggests there's no end to the stories Haruf can tell about Holt or to the tough, gorgeous language he can summon in the process.' New York Times
'A brilliant end to his brilliant Plainsong trilogy.' Lucy Mangan, Stylist
'Kent Haruf describes Dad Lewis's last summer with beautiful simplicity ... Haruf's existing fans have been waiting patiently for Benediction for years. They won't be surprised by how fine this book is, but newcomers to his writing will be reaching for his previous novels to catch up.' Sunday Express
Author
About Kent Haruf
Kent Haruf's honors include a Whiting Foundation Award and a special citation from the PEN/Hemingway Foundation. Plainsong won the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and the New Yorker Book Award. He lives with his wife, Cathy, in the town of Salida in their native Colorado.
