Don't be fooled by the title: This is far more than the story of a widower. It is the well-told story of the people around him. Julia Glass takes the reader into the life of the widower, his grandson, a gay preschool teacher and an illegal-immigrant gardener and weaves them together in a compelling tale of life, love and turmoil brought on, it seems, by the best of intentions. Each has a story to tell and Glass tells each with a unique voice so that the reader can recognize who is talking even before Glass tells. Each man has his strengths and his failings, both of which contribute to his personal challenges and dilemmas. And, in the end, they are brought together through one of their shared tragedies. They may not live happily ever after at the end of this story, but Glass certainly leaves that possibility open. It is hard not to root for all of them to find happiness and love in the story that comes after the book is done.

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I loved the authors use of words in this book. A very good story that kept building until the very end. A very good read...wish that talented authors would not need to use bad language if not for that 5 stars for sure.

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Definately an above average read, it kept my interest and was well written.

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I enjoyed spending time in Matlock, Massachusetts following a year in the life of longtime widower Percy Darling, a retired Harvard librarian who values the solitude he has craved out for himself. This solitude is upended when he agrees to turn his barn into a preschool, an uncharacteristic move that is done to help his floundering 40-something-year-old daughter secure a job. This decision will bring Percy and his family in contact with a preschool teacher, a Guatemalan gardener, and a single mother who become interconnected in complicated ways. Julia Glass' novel touches upon contemporary themes of immigration, abortion, ecoterrorism, divorce, health care and gay rights. I enjoyed the book especially because it was told through the perspectives of men, which is unlike most of the fiction I read.

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I loved this book and I don't give books 5 star reviews freely. This book captivated me from the very beginning. Most books seem to be written about women and from their point of view. To find this refreshing book that was centered around one elderly man with three strong story lines attached to him by three other men was such a treat. I loved Percy from the first chapter. He was a person I'd love to meet. I enjoy books that have deep characterizations and each of the players in this novel is intricately webbed. The story line feels natural and believable, not exaggerated or overly fictionalized for drama. It just feels, well....real.

I hated to say good-bye to Percy and his friends and family. I have thought of this book often since I finished. This is what you do when you read a good book yes?

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Julia Glass really crammed a lot into this book: same-sex marriage, immigration, eco-terrorism, cancer, and health insurance being just a few. For the most part it works, but this book also feels ready to burst at the seams with so many themes.

Percy Glass is a recently retired university librarian with some old-fashioned ideals and a razor-sharp wit. (Although this book is populated almost entirely by American characters, Percy has a decidedly British air.) His wife died tragically when their daughters were fairly young. Since then, they've grown into completely different women: one flighty and irresponsible, the other serious and a bit cold. (Having recently watched an episode of Modern Family where Claire and Phil see an older version of their own family, I couldn't help but think how much Clover and Trudy are like older versions of Hailey and Alex.) There is definitely some sibling rivalry going on here, which seems to be a favorite theme of Glass's.

Percy has agreed to rent his old barn, formerly his wife's dance studio, to the local preschool, and thus, the quiet retirement he'd planned becomes something else entirely. This story, as the title indicates, is primarily Percy's, with alternating chapters being told from his first-person p.o.v. The other chapters are told in third-person omniscient, focusing on three younger men.

Ira, a teacher at the aforementioned preschool, was "let go" from his last position because of his homosexuality. So, he's understandably reluctant to open up to his new co-workers and his students' parents. I found him to be a likeable character, although the first mentions of him were a little off-putting.

Celestino is an illegal immigrant who works as a gardener in Percy's upscale little town. His back story is a bit unusual; an attempt to show another side to immigration issues. I felt like he dropped out of the story for a while and popped back up when it was convenient, but he also was a likeable character.

Robert is Percy's oldest grandchild, the son of the uptight daughter. He's a college student, but Glass's attempts at writing young adult dialogue made me cringe at times. Robert is young and stupid. He makes a lot of dumb choices, but he does learn from them and definitely has some redeeming qualities.

Glass orchestrates a world in which these very different characters' lives intersect repeatedly. There's also a large supporting cast: Percy's son-in-law and former son-in-law, a snobby divorcee next door, a single mom whose son attends the preschool, a famous French architect whose wife runs the preschool, Ira's partner who is known as a vicious divorce lawyer, Celestino's obnoxious boss, Robert's girlfriend, and his roommate (quite a piece of work). I didn't really warm to any of these characters, some of whom play much more substantial roles in the story than others, but all of whom are crucial to Glass's intricate plot.

My previous experience with Glass's writing was Three Junes. In comparison, I'd say this one has better plotting, but lacks some of the character warmth.

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