Fault Lines

Fault Lines

Nancy Huston

Language: English

Pages: 190

ISBN: 1552786641

Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub


Huston's novel is a profound and poetic story that traces four generations of a single family from present-day California to WW II era Germany.

Fault Lines begins with Sol, a gifted, terrifying child whose mother believes he is destined for greatness partly because he has a birthmark like his dad, his grandmother, and his great-grandmother. When Sol's family makes an unexpected trip to Germany, secrets begin to emerge about their history during World War II. It seems birthmarks are not all that's been passed down through the bloodlines. Closely observed, lyrically told, and epic in scope, Fault Lines is a touching, fearless, and unusual novel about four generations of children and their parents. The story moves from the West Coast of the United States to the East, from Haita to Toronto to Munich, as secrets unwind back through time until a devastating truth about the family's origins is reached. Huston tells a riveting, vigorous tale in which love, music, and faith rage against the shape of evil.

You Can't Fire Me, I'm Your Father

The Social Origins of Private Life: A History of American Families 1600-1900

How to Develop Your Family Mission Statement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

luncheon and didn’t comfort me at all. Mommy would have comforted me if she’d known how bad the pain was but by the time I saw her again the scrapes were all healed and I couldn’t even show them to her. Everywhere I go dangers lie in wait for me—a shard of glass a furious wasp a hot toaster—they pounce on me as I go past and my body responds all by itself, the skin turns blue or the flesh swells and fills with pus or the skin opens, releasing a stream of blood, right now the sliver is making

and snap beans passed around, ‘I see you’ve got some pretty stiff competition these days.’ Mommy gives him a look that means What are you talking about? ‘Paul Anka has hit the top of the charts again, and they’re making a film about him.’ Mommy laughs. ‘Paul Anka and I aren’t working in the same universe.’ ‘It’s immoral to air songs like that over the radio,’ says Gran. ‘Kissing on the phone, indeed!’ ‘I like that song,’ I whisper. ‘Good for you, Sadie,’ says Mommy.

went past a female dog I’d sometimes see his thing come out, red and stiff, and he’d scrabble up on her from behind panting excitedly even if she was thrice as big as he was which was hilarious, once he actually started humping this white toy poodle before Grandad could yank him away with the leash saying ‘Come, come, young man, you’re in no position to raise a family,’ which gave me food for thought because it reminded me of what he’d said about my father Mort. Plus also in Grandad’s medical

because she knows. Finally she puts down her fork and says, ‘Sadie, you understand a lot for your age but there are some things children can’t be expected to understand and I do not owe you an explanation.’ I say nothing so she says, ‘Darling please don’t be angry.’ I go on eating my macaroni and cheese and let her squirm for the next five minutes but finally I ask her, ‘What language were you speaking?’ And she laughs and says, ‘We were trying to speak German…But it’s been so long

Ah. He looks at me—really looks at me—for the first time. My heart quickens, my pace quickens, my tongue quickens. ‘I don’t belong to this family either,’ I add, for good measure. Johann is looking straight ahead but I can see his jaws beginning to relax a bit, and then—oh, victory—his mouth opens and his voice comes out, shaped into words: ‘Is it true?’ he says. These are the words he utters but the shape of them in the air is strange—he has an accent. I nod, and the

Download sample

Download