Book two begins in Iowa on the farm with Walter’s funeral, then switches to East Coast Washington and West Coast California to follow family members. Walter and Rosanna had four children who married and had offspring. By 1953 the third generation has appeared on the scene and what with duplicate names and nicknames the reader will need to consult the family tree to keep them all straight.
Although Joe and Claire remain in farming country the East Coast branch of the family become involved in business and government agencies. The Vietnam War and three assassinations figure in the storyline. Henry has gay partners and continues in higher education eventually becoming a professor of Medieval English Chicago. One character sees a charlatan psychiatrist/therapist who has sex with his patients and another couple experience a religious cult and have a bi-racial relationship. AIDS gets mention.
Year by year we jump between the various families who in typical American style gather for funerals, Thanksgiving, and Christmas; celebrate the occasional birthday, graduation,or wedding.
This book continues the family story begun in book one and as such is not a stand-alone volume. At nearly 500 pages it is a major reading investment. Compared with book one in the series and many other books I’ve read this was a tough read.
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