Norumbega Park — Anthony Giardina

Norumbega Park begins with a vision. Richie Palumbo, the most prosaic of men, gets lost one night in 1969 while driving home with his family. He finds himself in the town of Norumbega -- a hidden town, remote and gorgeous, at the far edges of Boston's western suburbs. He sees an old, venerable house there, and without quite knowing why, decides he must have it. The repercussions of Richie's wild dream -- to own a house in this town -- lead to a forty year odyssey for his family. For Jack, his son, Norumbega becomes a sexual playground, until he meets one ungraspable girl and begins a lifelong pursuit of her. For Joannie, his daughter, the challenges of living here lead her to pursue the contemplative life. For Stella, Richie's wife, life in Norumbega leads to a surprising growth as both a sexual and spiritual being.

Norumbega Park -- by Anthony Giardina, the critically acclaimed author of White Guys -- is a novel about class and parental dreams, sex and spirituality, the way visions conflict with stubborn reality, and a family's ability to open up, for others, a world they could never fully grasp for themselves.