Like Family

Despite the tragic events, this is a very entertaining novel, with the characters innate and passionate sense of the absurdity of their situation, and of life itself, evident in every scene. The fast-paced, present-tense narrative seems to have been translated accurately to capture the nuances of emotion and drama conveyed by the highly intelligent and perceptive Giordano. --Library Journal(starred review)"

The Human Bodyis a great novel of life in wartime: a chronicle of war's multifarious crimes against the body and soul, and a heartfelt meditation on how men, together and collectively, repair the burdens of their fate. --Joshua Ferris, author ofTo Rise Again at a Decent Hour"

Giordano followsTHE SOLITUDE OF PRIME NUMBERSwith a stunning exploration of war. Giordano makes the tedium of combat fascinating with his well-drawn characters. The first page indicates that the platoon s experience was particularly horrible... but the fact that the mission runs off the rails is almost secondary to the beauty, texture, and acuity with which Giordano captures the day-to-day routines of the soldiers, and their efforts to make sense of both their lives in Italy and their military assignment. --Publishers Weekly(starred review)"

"Beautifully crafted...its themes are universal and it will appeal to anyone who treasures the gifts of others."

"A touching meditation on life, loss, and most of all, love.

Combining the edginess of modern life with the touching theme of losing someone who has become just like family, [this book] confirms Giordano as a writer who understands the complexities of human relationships

From aide to nanny and housekeeper . . . Paolo Giordano examines this unusual relationship in the context of one household of three. . . . Spare, elegant. "

A young married couple hires a middle-aged widow during the wife, Nora's, difficult pregnancy; they don't realize the dominating force she will become in their small family. Signora A - maid, nanny, and confidante - becomes the glue in their household, and over time, the steady and loving presence whose benign influence allows them to negotiate the complexities of married life. The delicate fabric of the young family comes undone when Signora A is diagnosed with lung cancer. When she becomes too sick to work, both husband and wife feel the strain of her absence. This not a simple love story; it's a story about love in its many forms, and how a capacity for love can give meaning to any existence, no matter how ordinary.