"This is Where I Leave You" - in Stitches!

Last Sunday, my brother called me to tell me that my mother had passed away after a 10 year battle with Alzheimer's which left me with having to travel down to New Jersey for the funeral. I stopped in NYC for a couple of days to spend some time with a friend of mine. I happened to be chatting with this friend about dreading seeing certain members of my immediate family at the funeral and she said that she had a must read book for me. She proceeded to hand me Jonathan Tropper's This is Where I Leave You (2009). Over the course of approximately a day and half, I started and finished this 340 page novel.

Summary:  "The death of Judd Foxman's father marks the first time that the entire Foxman clan has congregated in years. There is, however, one conspicuous absence: Judd's wife, Jen, whose affair with his radio-shock-jock boss has recently become painfully public. Simultaneously mourning the demise of his father and his marriage, Judd joins his dysfunctional family as they reluctantly sit Shiva -and spend seven days and nights under the same roof. The week quickly spins out of control as longstanding grudges resurface, secrets are revealed and old passions are reawakened. Then Jen delivers the clincher: she's pregnant.

This Is Where I Leave You is Jonathan Tropper's most accomplished work to date, and a riotously funny, emotionally raw novel about love, marriage, divorce, family, and the ties that bind-whether we like it or not." (Amazon.com)

Review: Tropper puts the fun in dysfunction with this hilarious novel! This is the first time I have read a Jonathan Tropper novel and I was mesmerized. His ability to combine tragedy and humor sets him apart from many other writers.

Judd Foxman's life is a mess. He comes home early from work to find his beautiful wife, Jen, in bed with another man. And not just any man, but his boss. After moving out of his charming suburban home and into a shoddy basement apartment, he is informed of his father's death. Surprisingly, although he was never a religious man, his dad's dying wish was for his family to sit Shiva for one week, in his honor. Reluctantly, Judd heads to his mother's house.

Judd's family is a comedy lover's dream. Dysfunctional doesn't even begin to describe this clan. His mother is a world renowned parenting expert who can't even begin to understand her own children. His youngest brother, Philip, is a playboy who is constantly finding himself in one crisis or another. He comes to the family home with a guest that no one can quite figure out. Paul, the oldest brother, harbors a lot of resentment towards Judd. He and his wife are also struggling with fertility issues. Judd's sister, Wendy, is his rock. But she is stuck is a loveless marriage and dealing with her own romantic disasters. Now all these siblings are forced to stay under the same roof. Add to this list a number of oddball mourners who come to pay their respects and you've got a week of maladjusted comic drama. The repercussions are laugh out loud funny and poignant at the same time.

These characters are oddly lovable and relatable. The family dynamic is incredibly familiar and easy to identify with. The Foxman's are everyone's family. Sure, they are somewhat eccentric and manipulative, but the love they have for each other is clear. Yes, they may despise each other at times, but underneath the chaos is an undying loyalty to each other. And isn't that pretty much how every family works?

This book is a must read for anyone who has a dysfunctional family. You will probably begin to feel a little better about your own family after spending time with the Foxman clan. For the 2 or 3 lucky people in this world who don't live with dysfunction in their lives, this novel will give you a good idea on how insane some families can be. The only negative comment is that female readers may find it a tad too "guy-oriented" - though it does provide valuable insight into the very simple testosterone influenced mind of most men.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars