Waterbury Winter: A Novel

It is so refreshing to read a novel about that transformation of grief and hopelessness into a new life. Barnaby Brown has had a series of reverses, which bring him to drinking and working retail. A few years back he was a promising artist, happily married and being productive, but then great tragedy struck and transformed his life.

The question of this book is whether he can respect himself enough, despite the reverses, to climb out of his dormancy and begin to live a meaningful life. The problem is that not many people respect him. Although he has some charm, he is also a hopeless drunk and ne’er-do-well. In his wishful moments, he dreams about quitting drinking and moving to California to be out of the cold winters.

Like many of us, it is easier to dream about a goal rather than taking painful steps to make it happen. But when an old friend comes to town and two women become interested in Barnaby, it just might be the catalyst he needs. This is a wonderful and entertaining book.