French Braid
Profound
Candid
Timeless

French Braid A novel

Anne Tyler2022
A major new novel from the beloved Pulitzer Prize–winning author—a freshly observed, funny, joyful, brilliantly perceptive journey deep into one family’s foibles, from the 1950s up to our pandemic present. The Garretts take their first and last family vacation in the summer of 1959. They hardly ever venture beyond Baltimore, but in some ways they have never been farther apart. Mercy has trouble resisting the siren call of her aspirations to be a painter, which means less time keeping house for her husband, Robin. Their teenage daughters, steady Alice and boy-crazy Lily, could not have less in common. Their youngest, David, is already intent on escaping his family's orbit, for reasons none of them understand. Yet, as these lives advance across decades, the Garretts' influences on one another ripple ineffably but unmistakably through each generation. Full of heartbreak and hilarity, French Braid is classic Anne Tyler: a stirring, uncannily insightful novel of tremendous warmth and humor that illuminates the kindnesses and cruelties of our daily lives, the impossibility of breaking free from those who love us, and how close—yet how unknowable—every family is to itself.
Sign up to use

Reviews

Photo of Sonia Grgas
Sonia Grgas@sg911911
3 stars
Feb 23, 2024
Photo of big ab
big ab@snapitsabbey
3 stars
Jan 2, 2024
Photo of Molly Bridge
Molly Bridge@mollyb
4 stars
Sep 9, 2023
Photo of Kerry Kalinoski
Kerry Kalinoski@busywithmybooks
3.5 stars
Feb 5, 2023
Photo of Sarah Erle
Sarah Erle@serle
4.5 stars
Jan 9, 2023
Photo of Whitney Pickle
Whitney Pickle@whitneypickle
5 stars
Aug 23, 2022
Photo of Christina Pappas
Christina Pappas@christinaneedsbooks
5 stars
May 6, 2022
Photo of Rebecca Bream
Rebecca Bream@rebeccabream
3.5 stars
Aug 21, 2023
Photo of Susan Dobson
Susan Dobson@susandob
4 stars
Apr 14, 2022
Photo of Julia
Julia@juliawreads
4 stars
Mar 27, 2022
Candid
Touching
Profound
Timeless
Contemplative
Photo of Yasmin
Yasmin@yasamarante
4 stars
Jan 12, 2024
Photo of Taylor Rae Peterson
Taylor Rae Peterson@taylorraepeterson
4 stars
Feb 6, 2023
Photo of Alexandra Sklar
Alexandra Sklar@alexandrasklar
4 stars
Dec 17, 2022