Isaac's Song is an historical fiction coming of age novel set in Missouri and Chicago. Isaac's father does not approve of his inclinations. His father wants him to enjoy manly things like sports and woodworking. Isaac isn't like that. Isaac's mother has a drinking problem that gets so bad his father moves out. Isaac and his father did get along when they took a road trip to his father's boyhood farm. He learned much information about his father on that trip. After graduating from high school Isaac moves to Chicago for university. There he finds himself. He still holds huge amounts of anger for his father. A therapist suggests he go back to his boyhood home in Missouri. When he does he finds ten or so letters from his father who wrote them as he was dying. After processing the letters the anger abates. His therapist recommends he start writing about his memories and this proves to be a useful method. This was a very good book to read about gender norms and racism.
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