Half a Life: A Memoir

by Darin Strauss

4 of 5 stars 1 rating • 1 review • 1 shelved
Book cover for Half a Life
Shelve It

Bookhype may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.

In this powerful, unforgettable memoir, acclaimed novelist Darin Strauss examines the far-reaching consequences of the tragic moment that has shadowed his whole life. In his last month of high school, he was behind the wheel of his dad's Oldsmobile, driving with friends, heading off to play mini-golf. Then: a classmate swerved in front of his car. The collision resulted in her death. With piercing insight and stark prose, Darin Strauss leads us on a deeply personal, immediate, and emotional journey—graduating high school, going away to college, starting his writing career, falling in love with his future wife, becoming a father. Along the way, he takes a hard look at loss and guilt, maturity and accountability, hope and, at last, acceptance. The result is a staggering, uplifting tour de force.

Look for special features inside, including an interview with Colum McCann.

  • ISBN10 0812982533
  • ISBN13 9780812982534
  • Publish Date 31 May 2011 (first published 15 September 2010)
  • Publish Status Active
  • Publish Country US
  • Publisher Random House USA Inc
  • Imprint Random House Inc