Did You Ever Have a Family

A circle of people find solace in the least likely of places as they cope with a horrific tragedy in this New York Times–bestselling debut.

Longlisted for the National Book Award, Man Booker Prize, PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, and Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence

On the eve of her daughter’s wedding, June Reid’s life is upended when a tragedy leaves her alone and directionless. To escape her grief, June drives across country, away from her small Connecticut town. In her wake, a community emerges, weaving a beautiful and surprising web of connections through shared heartbreak. Everyone touched by the tragedy is changed as truths about their near and far histories finally come to light.

One of the most accomplished fiction debuts of the year, Did You Ever Have a Family is an absorbing, unforgettable tale that reveals humanity at its best through forgiveness and hope. At its core is a celebration of family—the ones we are born with and the ones we create.

Praise for Did You Ever Have a Family

An ALA Notable Book

“Masterly. . . . Thoughtful.” —The New York Times Book Review

“A brilliantly constructed debut set in the aftermath of catastrophic loss.” —2015 Man Booker Prize Judges

“Did You Ever Have a Family is the first full-length foray into fiction for Bill Clegg . . . but it reads like the quietly assured work of a veteran novelist. . . . It’s rare to find a book that renders unimaginable loss in such an eloquent, elegant voice.” —Entertainment Weekly

“The force, range, and scope of Bill Clegg’s Did You Ever Have a Family will grab you with its opening lines, and won’t let go until its final one.” —Pulitzer Prize–winning author Michael Cunningham