This great novel reminded me just how good US writers are at making the lives of dysfunctional families so funny and yet so moving. Concentration is necessary as this story of fundamentalist Mormon living in Nevada is seen mostly through the eyes of Golden Richards, but also those of his 4th wife Trish and his 5th son Rusty. The effort is worth it, particularly in the case of Rusty who deserves to join the pantheon of great American adolescents.