The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

Co-owner and Editor Tara Huck shares:

The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

I am drawn to authors who have a proven track-record of masterful writing, which often means I turn to the bestseller lists. Also, I return to authors who I have read in the past.

I discovered Wally Lamb’s writing in 1992 when I read his book She’s Come Undone. I went on to read I Know This Much is True a few years later. He has straightforward storytelling that reliably narrates the action.

In his most recent book, The River is Waiting, Lamb introduces an average family man, Corby, who finds himself a stay-at-home dad married to a schoolteacher. He is the primary caregiver of twin toddlers, a boy and a girl. The book opens with a tragedy quickly hooking the reader to turn the pages to see how the affected family survives.

With wonderful pacing, the author explores the themes of addiction, religion, mental health, trauma, America’s prison system, family dynamics, and resilience. The reader roots for Corby to survive unthinkable circumstances and to overcome his addictions.

The River is Waiting was an Oprah Book Club pick. The story will prompt wonderful group discussions. I was left with the question of how to carry on with life when one has behaved so terribly, creating consequences that cannot be undone.