By Patrick Somerville

Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (March 9, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316036129
ISBN-13: 978-0316036122

Description (Publisher Website)
Early one summer morning, Matthew Bishop kisses his still-sleeping wife Marissa, gets dressed and eases his truck through Milwaukee, bound for the highway. His wife, pregnant with their first child, has asked him to find the antique cradle taken years before by her mother Caroline when she abandoned Marissa, never to contact her daughter again. Soon to be a mother herself, Marissa now dreams of nothing else but bringing her baby home to the cradle she herself slept in. His wife does not know-does not want to know-where her mother lives, but Matt has an address for Caroline's sister near by and with any luck, he will be home in time for dinner.

Only as Matt tries to track down his wife's mother, he discovers that Caroline, upon leaving Marissa, has led a life increasingly plagued by impulse and irrationality, a mysterious life that grows more inexplicable with each new lead Matt gains, and door he enters. As hours turn into days and Caroline's trail takes Matt from Wisconsin to Minnesota, Illinois, and beyond in search of the cradle, Matt makes a discovery that will forever change Marissa's life, and faces a decision that will challenge everything he has ever known.

Elegant and astonishing, Patrick Somerville tells the story of one man's journey into the heart of marriage, parenthood, and what it means to be a family. Confirming the arrival of an exuberantly talented new writer, THE CRADLE is an uniquely imaginative debut novel that radiates with wisdom and wonder.

Review

I was truly blown away by this story. This book is fairly short but what an impression it makes. I couldn't put this book down once I had started it. I wanted to see how the journey ended. The twists and turns Matt Bishop takes as he tries to find a family cradle for his pregnant wife, are many and are never really anticipated. We meet a cast of dysfunctional characters as he seeks to fill his wife's wish. His views of a successful trip morph and change over the trip, and the value of the cradle takes on different meanings. The storyline took a turn I hadn't suspected which gave me a pleasant surprise. This is a wonderful book and could be read by all ages. This is a sweet story that you won't forget anytime soon.

Make sure you check out the Author links below to learn more about this incredible book.



Author's Website
Interview with Author
Author Essay on "The Cradle"
Reading Group Guide