Suffused with Russell Banksās trademark lyricism and reckless humor, the twelve stories in A Permanent Member of the Family examine the myriad ways we tryāand sometimes failāto connect with one another, as we seek a home in the world.
In the title story, a father looks back on the legend of the cherished family dog whose divided loyalties mirrored the fragmenting of his marriage. āA Former Marineā asks, to chilling effect, if one can ever stop being a parent. And in the haunting, evocative āVeronica,ā a mysterious woman searching for her daughter may not be who she claims she is.
Moving between the stark beauty of winter in upstate New York and the seductive heat of Florida, Banksās acute and penetrating collection demonstrates the range and virtuosity of both his narrative prowess and his startlingly panoramic vision of modern American life.