James Schuylers utterly original Whats for Dinner? features a cast ofcharacters who appear to have escaped from a Norman Rockwell painting to runamok. In tones ... » 

James Schuylers utterly original Whats for Dinner? features a cast ofcharacters who appear to have escaped from a Norman Rockwell painting to runamok. In tones that are variously droll deadpan and lyrical Schuyler tells astory that revolves around three smalltown American households. TheDelehanteys are an oldfashioned Catholic family whose twin teenage boys aregetting completely out of hand no matter that their father is hardly one tospare the rod. Childless Norris and Lottie Taylor have been happily married foryears even as Lottie has been slowly drinking herself to death. Mag a recentwidow is on the prowl for love. Retreating to an institution to dry outLottie finds herself caught up in a curious comedy of group therapy manners. Atthe same time however she begins an ascent from the depths of despairilluminated with the odd grace and humor that readers of Schuylers masterfulpoetry know so wellto a new understanding that will turn her into animprobable redeemer within an unlikely world.Whats for Dinner? is among the most delightful and unusual works of Americanliterature. Charming and dark offkilter but pedestrian mercurial yet matteroffact Schuylers novel is an alluring invention that captures both thefragility and the tenacity of ordinary life. «