House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III

And it is no longer to me a surprise that it is the recent immigrants who excel in this land, the Orientals, the Greeks, and yes, the Persians. the face of Americans, the eyes that never appear satisfied, at peace with their work, or the day God has given them these people have the eyes of very small children who are forever looking for their next source of distraction, entertainment, or a sweet taste in the mouth. But here's a sample of HOUSE's continuing relevance, in a comment by Iranian, Colonel Behrani, about -'. Indeed, phone calls are often made from phone booths or public telephones. And, even twenty years later, the story remains surprisingly relevant, although there is no mention of cell phones or the internet. Dubus is simply a master storyteller who knows how to ratchet up the suspense and demonstrates an uncanny knowledge of human nature, creating characters that are so real they could be living next door. The book has already garnered several hundred reviews at Amazon alone. There are no absolute villains or heroes here, only people caught up in an unfortunate and tragic web of circumstances, fed by confusion, passion and greed.But enough about the plot. In the course of the narrative, which shifts from first-persons by both Kathy and Behrani, or an omniscient voice for Lester's portions, the reader gradually learns the history of all three characters, and watches with fascination and horror as things go from bad to worse, building to a climax that will leave you gasping and shaken. A tempestuous, ill-advised affair ensues, as Lester tries to help her get her house back.

Kathy is evicted from her home by a Deputy Sheriff, Lester Burdon, who, though married with two children, falls in love with Kathy. Due to a clerical error re unpaid taxes, her house is seized by the county and auctioned for a very low price to one Massoud Behrani, a former Colonel in the Iranian Air Force who'd been forced to flee Iran at the time of the revolution there. She cleans houses to make ends meet and lives in a small house (the one of the title, inherited from her father) in a coastal village near San Francisco. Kathy Lazaro is a thirty-six year old woman who is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic, recently abandoned by her husband.

I mean, WoW! This is simply one helluva good read.The plot centers around three people. It's a story that begins slowly but quickly picks up momentum and then grabs you by the scruff of the neck and keeps you turning pages deep into the night because you simply HAVE to knw what happens next. HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, by Andre Dubus III, was a blockbuster bestseller nearly 20 years ago, and now that I've finally gotten around to reading it, I can see why.

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III