The Brothers K by David James Duncan
This is one of my favorite books. I just re-read it for the fourth time, which is really saying something-my TBR list is so long that I rarely re-read books.
This is the story of the Chance family, living in rural Washington state in the 60s and 70s. It’s mostly the story of four brothers, the son of a minor-league pitcher (the “K” is a reference to the symbol for a strikeout, and baseball is used as a narrative device throughout much of the book, though knowledge of baseball isn’t needed).
The story is mostly told by the youngest brother (there are also two younger sisters who are not as fully realized). Through his descriptions of his brothers and what happens to them the reader comes to understand and sympathize with them. They are all fully-realized characters with their own passions and motivations and you come to understand them thoroughly.
The book deals with big issues of that time, especially the Vietnam war. It also works through big themes, such as what family is and means, issues of religion and spirituality and they can clash, and what it means to love and stand by someone.
And while it is dealing with these weighty subjects, it does so in a way that is engaging and interesting to read.
Highest possible recommendation.