John Wayne — Dan Barden

In this immensely captivating and imaginative novel, perfectly set at the intersection of fact and fiction, Dan Barden superimposes the story of John Wayne on the story of the Bardens, a family very much like his own. Frank Barden, Wayne's contractor, is an Irish Catholic from New York who has come to California in pursuit of the American dream. His wife, Lillian, becomes disappointed in the reality of the dream, and questions her faith in men like Frank and John Wayne. In fictionalized episodes ranging from Wayne's first love at sixteen to his deathbed conversion to Catholicism, this novel offers a surprisingly intimate vision of John Wayne and tells the poignant story of a family struggling to stay intact.