A young carpenter finds himself in turmoil as his wife rapidly descends into mental illness The Deer at the River follows an especially intense period in the life of Noah Dubbins, a young carpenter and father of three living in rural New Hampshire. Noah's life changes drastically when he returns from work one day to find his wife, Ruth, behaving erratically and reenacting the birth of their youngest son. Ruth is committed to a psychiatric hospital and Noah is left to look after their children on his own. In his loneliness, he wrestles with his lust for an old flame and a burgeoning confusion about his sexuality. With financial problems, a family to raise, and increasing grief over his wife's condition, how will Noah cope? The Deer at the River is a wrenching parable of everyday spiritual turmoil.
"Mr. Caldwell is a laconic writer and a subtle one, and his meanings are full of mystery. The Deer at the River has enormous tension and emotional power."
The New Yorker
"Caldwell's writing strikes a perfect balance between anguish and irony, giving us characters who manage to be both tormented and entertaining. The Deer at the River is a wonderful novel-tragic, comic and brimming with love."
