As Good As Gone: A Novel

"I love stories about family dysfunctions as much as the next person, because who can’t relate, right? There’s plenty of that in Larry Watson’s latest novel, about a man who abandons his own kids, but is called into service decades later as a grandfather. His son and daughter-in-law must drive 500 miles across Montana for an operation — and his job is to look after the grandkids. At first glance, the characters may seem like simple 1950s and ‘60s stereotypes, but their pasts reveal more complex storylines. As someone who grew up in the area, I also got a kick out of Watson’s depiction of Missoula, Mont., which, with its stately, tree-lined neighborhoods, was the envy of so many people who hailed from much harsher, rugged corners of Big Sky Country."