Named to the New York Times Book Review's annual 10-best list, this blues-tinged novel tells the story of an unnamed black man estranged from his white wife and their three children. As he struggles to pull money together to provide for his children, his story emerges as a powerful statement about American society. ". drawing on Melville and Ellison, Thomas has written a rhapsodic and piercing post-9/11 lament ."-Booklist, starred review