Henry, Himself: A Novel
Book

Henry, Himself: A Novel

2019
Fiction, family lifeNew York Times reviewedOlder menFictionAgingFamiliesFICTION / LiteraryFICTION / Family Life / GeneralFICTION / Sagas

Soldier, son, lover, husband, breadwinner, churchgoer, Henry Maxwell has spent his whole life trying to live with honor. A native Pittsburgher and engineer, he's always believed in logic, sacrifice, and hard work. Now, seventy-five and retired, he feels the world has passed him by. It's 1998, the American century is ending, and nothing is simple anymore. His children are distant, their unhappiness a mystery. Only his wife Emily and dog Rufus stand by him. Once so confident, as Henry's strength and memory desert him, he weighs his dreams against his regrets and is left with questions he can't answer: Is he a good man? Has he done right by the people he loves? And with time running out, what, realistically, can he hope for? Like Emily, Alone, Henry, Himself is a wry, warmhearted portrait of an American original who believes he's reached a dead end only to discover life is full of surprises.

Sign in to add this book to your list.

What critics are saying

Verdicts use the same scale as your list: highly recommended through avoid — plus optional scores and blurbs.

Highly recommended Recommend Give it a go Neutral Avoid

Nobody on Critic, Sir! has logged a verdict for this title yet. The silence is either respectful or suspicious.

Sign in and use Add to My List below to share your own verdict.

Reading Lists

Sign in to create and edit public lists.

Loading lists…

Purchase & Discovery

Find this title on Amazon

Digital

Kindle Books & digital

Searches Amazon Kindle Books for the title.

As an Amazon Associate, Critic, Sir! earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure