Anacclaimedshort-storywriterhascreatedamiraculousfirstnovelaboutanAmericanfamilyonthevergeofabreakdown-andanepiphany.Inthesummerof2000,Israelteetersbetweentotalwarandtotalpeace.Similarlyonedge,HelenMichaelson,arespectablesuburbanhousewifefromMichigan,hasbroughtherailinghusbandandrebelliouscollege-ageson,Jeremy,toJerusalem.ShehopesthejourneywillinspireJeremytoreconnectwithhisfaithandfindmeaninginhislife...oratleastgetridofhisnosering.It’snotthatHelenisconcernedaboutJeremy’ssexualorientation(afterall,herothersonisgayaswell).It’smerelythematteroftheoverdose(“JustlikeLiza!“Jeremyhadtoldher),thegreenhair,andwhatlookslikeasafetypinstuckthroughhisface.Aftertherapy,unconditionallove,andtoughlove...whynottryIsrael?Yetinseductiveanddangeroussurroundings,withtherumblingofviolenceandchangeintheair,inapartoftheworldwhere“therearenomoderntimes,“motherandsonbecomenew,old,andsurprisingversionsofthemselves.Funny,erotic,searinglyinsightful,andprofoundlymoving,FaithforBeginnersisastunningdebutnovelfromavibrantnewvoiceinfiction.
