THE HUNDRED HEARTS by William Kowalski
$24.95 | Paperback | 978-1-77102-300-9 | Thomas Allen Publishers
Ebook 978-1-77102-318-4
Available May 2013
On April 7, 2005, an I.E.D. blast in Afghanistan alters the course of Jeremy Merkin’s life forever. Still grieving the loss of his best friend, who was killed by the explosion, and nursing the physical and psychological wounds of the war, Jeremy returns home to find that nothing has changed, and yet everything is different.
Living in the basement of a house he shares with his grandparents, mother, and mentally-challenged cousin, Henry, Jeremy smokes marijuana to combat his constant pain. He begins a career as a high school teacher, but memories of the war, the physical limitations caused by his injuries and a criminal accusation threaten to end his teaching career before it’s even begun.
After Helen, the matriarch of the family, dies, the already-dysfunctional Merkin clan comes unglued. Amidst all this chaos, his cousin runs away from home to find his mother in New York City. Knowing Henry can’t possibly survive the trip on his own, Jeremy races across the country to find him. While in New York, Jeremy’s world is altered yet again, as more family secrets are uncovered, this time with dreadful consequences.
THE HUNDRED HEARTS is a darkly funny story of the courage required to carry on after coming home, and the redemptive power of accepting and revealing our own secrets in order to move forward.
WILLIAM KOWALSKI is the author of four novels, including the international best-seller Eddie’s Bastard. His work has appeared on numerous international bestseller lists and has been translated into fifteen languages. He lives in Nova Scotia.