Operation Wandering Soul [B2067]

2021 PB in gift-worthy condition. National Book Award Finalist From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory and the forthcoming Bewilderment, an exquisitely rendered novel set in the pediatrics ward of a public hospital that examines the power, joy, and anguish of storytelling. "If you have children or will have children, if you know children or can remember being a child, dare to read Operation Wandering Soul. . . [it] is bedtime reading for the future." --USA Today. In the pediatrics ward of a public hospital in the heart of Los Angeles, a group of sick children is gathering. Surrogate parents to this band of stray kids, resident Richard Kraft and therapist Linda Espera are charged with keeping the group alive on make-believe alone. Determined to give hope where there is none, the adults spin a desperate anthology of stories that promise restoration and escape. But the inevitable is foreshadowed in the faces they've grown to love, and ultimately Richard and Linda must return to forgotten chapters in their own lives in order to make sense of the conclusion drawing near.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "A densely written novel that explores childhood, suffering, and the human capacity for both cruelty and compassion. It is intellectually stimulating, thematically ambitious, and concerned with how science, art, and human consciousness interact. It is a demanding read that requires patience, but it pays off in its insights into the ways we confront (or fail to confront) the suffering of children. It is hard to say I "enjoyed" this book, especially since many of the children are terminally ill, but I admire the intent and found it worthwhile."; "This is some SERIOUS stream of consciousness. I loved it. The mind has to be able to multitask its thinking, to follow multiple streams simultaneously. Some of this stuff is really uncomfortable, some of it is pretty nice. This novel is WAY easier to digest than The Overstory, which I think is still like one of my top 3 books. You have to read this book just so you can say you have read it, and when you finish it you will find the Children of the Planet Earth have rewarded you."; "I found this book challenging my comfort and also very impactful to my world view. challenging because it was hard emotionally to read, and also showing a back stage view of modern medicine and war. I love challenging reads - and I love this author and find his work fascinating and very deep."; "To see an author at the peak of his craft (possibly at the peak of virtually anyone's) take a look at Operation Wandering Soul. His control of alliteration, reference, puns, intermingling of events, braided story telling... it is very impressive plus it is a great read."