Abundance (Longlisted For National Book Awards 2021 (Uk))

Description:

LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR FICTION
SELECTED BY THE TELEGRAPH AS ONE OF THE FOUR BEST DEBUTS OF THE YEAR

'A tense, yet tender portrait of a father and son trying to escape life on the margin. Determination and despair collide in this unforgettable debut, with an ending that broke my heart' Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize-winning author of Shuggie Bain

'Extremely heartbreaking, I constantly had a pit in my stomach... My heart hurt so much...I loved it! The emotions and feelings in this story were just written so beautifully' Goodreads Reviewer

Evicted from their trailer on New Year's Eve, Henry and his son, Junior, have been reduced to living out of a pick-up truck. Six months later, things are even more desperate. Henry, barely a year out of prison for selling drugs, is down to his last pocketful of cash, and little remains between him and the street. But hope is on the horizon: today is Junior's birthday, and Henry has a job interview tomorrow.

To celebrate, Henry treats Junior to dinner at McDonald's, followed by a night in a real bed at a discount hotel. For a moment, as Junior watches TV and Henry practises for his interview in the bathtub, all seems well. But after Henry has a disastrous altercation in the parking lot and Junior succumbs to a fever, father and son are sent into the night, struggling to hold things together.

Each chapter of this deeply emotional and compassionate novel begins with amount of money in Henry's pocket, showing how literally father and son's fortunes can turn on a dime. Can they make it through tomorrow?

What people are saying about Abundance:

'I guarantee your heart will not leave your throat for one second reading this... Will haunt you long after you set the book down.' Goodreads Reviewer

'Broke my heart but I couldn't stop reading.' Goodreads Reviewer

'Full of beauty, honesty and unexpected grace.' Gary Shteyngart

'A quest, a page-turner, and above all a love story, Abundance lays bare one father's brutal, tender hustle to care for his son in a winner-takes-all world.' Mia Alvar

'Gut-wrenching... Truly heartbreaking... Told with compassion and vivid detail... Feels tense right to the very end... Brilliant.' Goodreads Reviewer

'Will rip your heart out.' Goodreads Reviewer

Review: Phenomenal. Guanzon is an incredibly exciting new voice. . . . [Abundance] does one of the things I love about fiction, where it really allows you to walk in a character's shoes - books like this don't come around too often. * The Guardian *
A tense, yet tender portrait of a father and son trying to escape life on the margin. Determination and despair collide in this unforgettable debut, with an ending that broke my heart. -- Douglas Stuart, author of Shuggie Bain

Extremely heartbreaking, I constantly had a pit in my stomach... My heart hurt so much...I loved it! The emotions and feelings in this story were just written so beautifully.

-- Goodreads Reviewer, five starred review
I guarantee your heart will not leave your throat for one second reading this... Will haunt you long after you set the book down. -- Goodreads Reviewer, five starred review
Broke my heart but I couldn't stop reading -- Goodreads Reviewer, five starred review
Gut-wrenching... Truly heartbreaking... Told with compassion and vivid detail... Feels tense right to the very end... Brilliant -- Goodreads Reviewer
Will rip your heart out -- Goodreads Reviewer, five starred review
Excellent... I read this book in one sitting. Poignant, thought provoking. Highly recommend. One of the best novels that I have ever read -- Goodreads Reviewer, five starred review
Wow, I really enjoyed this... I found myself gasping... If you're looking for a great story, and an incredible author to bring that story to life, look no further -- Reader review, five starred
Full of beauty, honesty and unexpected grace -- Gary Shteyngart
A quest, a page-turner, and above all a love story, Abundance lays bare one father's brutal, tender hustle to care for his son in a winner-take-all world -- Mia Alvar
Tender, anxious, angry, and beautiful -- Mark Doten
The reader aches for these characters... An example of how fiction can be more "real" than real life * Pioneer Press *
An impressive debut * Kirkus Reviews *
[A] devastating portrayal of Henry's hard-scrabble life and desperate love for his son * Daily Mail *
Prizes: Long-listed for National Book Awards 2021 (UK).

Author Biography: Jakob Guanzon was born in New York and raised in Minnesota. He holds an MFA from Columbia University's School of the Arts, and lives in New York City. Abundance is his first novel.