There's a Word for That
By: Sloane Tanen
Cover Art: Jaya Miceli
ISBN 10: 0316437166
ISBN 13: 9780316437165
ISSN:
ISFDB Publication Record #
ASIN: B07G73P1GS
British National Bibliography System Number:
Canadian National Catalogue (AMICUS) Number:
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication:
National Library of Australia Bib ID:
OCLC Number: 1090277232
(OCoLC):
eISBN 10:
eISBN 13: 9780316437158
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 2018949980
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book Group (2019)
Dark Humor, Humorous American Literature,
A hilarious and moving chronicle of a wildly flawed family that comes together--in rehab, of all places--even as each member is on the verge of falling apart
Introducing the Kesslers: Marty, a retired LA film producer whose self-worth has been eroded by age and a late-in-life passion for opioids; his daughter Janine, former child star suffering the aftereffects of a life in the public eye; and granddaughter Hailey, the "less-than" twin sister, whose inferiority complex takes a most unexpected turn. Nearly six thousand miles away, in London, celebrated author Bunny Small, Marty's long-forgotten first wife, has her own problems: a "preposterous" case of writer's block, a monstrous drinking habit, and a son who has fled halfway around the world to escape her.
When Marty's pill-popping gets out of hand and Bunny's boozing reaches crisis proportions, a perfect storm of dysfunction brings them all together at Directions, Malibu's most exclusive and absurd rehab center.
But for all their failings, the members of this estranged--and strange--family love each other. Rich with warmth, humor, and deep insight, There's a Word for That is a comic ode to surviving the people closest to us, navigating the perils of success, and taking one last look in the rearview mirror before mapping out the road ahead.
Reviews:
"Engrossing, hilarious, and tender, this novel tells the story of how a family breaks apart and comes together despite years of mistakes and mishaps. I couldn't put it down."
--Gretchen Rubin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project
"This high-stakes, hilarious novel is many things at once: a tongue-in-cheek tale of warning, a celebration of privacy in our all-access world, and a heart-warming story about two families in search of salvation. Most poignantly, There's a Word for That shows us how, with time, even the most intractable relationships can soften and surprise us. Sloane Tanen has a sharp eye for irony and wields an even sharper pen. I laughed loudly, and often."
--Lucy Tan, author of What We Were Promised
"A big juicy beach read full of family dysfunction and Southern California sunshine, There's a Word for That joyously knits together the most frayed characters into a story you won't want to put down, even after the last page. Sloane Tanen is a witty, wonderful writer who really knows how to twist a plot as she redefines what it means to have a happy ending."
--Amy Scheibe, author of A Fireproof Home for the Bride
"I haven't read a book as quickly (one 22-hour plane ride) and compulsively in a long time. There's a Word for That is that rare mix of funny and gutting, a page-turner coupled with deep emotional resonance. The characters are so richly drawn and their journeys so absorbing that by the end of the book, it felt a real loss to let them go. A funny, moving, gem of a novel."
--Melanie Abrams, author of Playing
.