Joan Silber Libri

Exploring themes of love, loss, yearning, and forgiveness, this novel weaves together the lives of diverse characters on enlightening journeys that reveal the vastness of the world. Joan Silber, a National Book Award finalist, skillfully navigates between narratives set in the U.S. and Asia, providing profound insights into the human experience. Critics praise her ability to capture the complexities of existence, making for a richly imagined and thought-provoking read.

Set in France, Italy, New York and China, in the past and present, this National Book Award-shortlisted title examines notions of the divine.

An ingenious examination of belief systems, beginning with some fiercely principled young anarchists in 1920s New York and spinning the dial to take in India, Paris and Occupy Wall Street.

Exploring themes of love, fate, and personal transformation, this novel features richly developed characters navigating their relationships and life’s unpredictability. Elisa and Gabe's poignant story is infused with desperation and tenderness, reflecting contemporary experiences while showcasing the beauty of human connection. Joan Silber's prose is noted for its precision and emotional depth, capturing the resilience of ordinary people facing life's challenges with grace and humor. The narrative celebrates the complexities of modern love and the unexpected paths life can take.

Set in 1940, the story follows Rhoda Taber, who is navigating the complexities of pregnancy and motherhood in a seemingly secure suburban life. As she faces an untimely death, an unexpected illness, and the contrasting personalities of her two daughters, her sense of stability is challenged. Rhoda's character is portrayed as shrewd and wry, highlighting her flaws and the harsh realities of life that disrupt her expectations, ultimately revealing her as a deeply relatable and multifaceted woman.

Ethan, a young lawyer in New York, learns that his father has long kept a second family - a Thai wife and two kids living in Queens. In the aftermath of this revelation, Ethan's mother spends a year travelling abroad, returning much changed, just as her now ex-husband falls ill. Across town, Ethan's half brothers are caught in their own complicated journeys: one brother's penchant for minor delinquency has escalated and the other must travel to Bangkok to bail him out, while the bargains their mother struck about love and money continue to shape all their lives. As Ethan finds himself caught in a love triangle of his own, the interwoven fates of these two households elegantly unfurl to touch many other figures, revealing secret currents of empathy and loyalty, the bounty of improvised families and the paradoxical ties that weave through life's rich contours. With a generous and humane spirit, Secrets of Happiness elucidates the ways people marshal the resources at hand in an effort to find joy