The Lonely Polygamist

The Lonely Polygamist
By Brady Udall
W. W. Norton, 2010. 602 p. Fiction

It might be life's great irony, but with four wives and a couple dozen kids, Golden just can't seem to find true companionship. He's beset by worries about his failing construction company, which house he's supposed to sleep in on what night, how he's going to keep his kids fed and moreover, he can never find an empty bathroom when he needs one. It's a dog's life he's living and the paradox is that his dog is the only one who seems to be there for him. On top of all that, he's dallying with a married woman at his current building site--which happens to be the new headquarters for a thriving brothel instead of the retirement home he's told his wives and fellow brethren he's building. Golden knows the two lives he's living will eventually collide, he's just not sure when.
"The Lonely Polygamist" is a smashing success if you're looking for excellent writing on an original topic. The book is startling, laugh-out loud hilarious and ingenious in its ability to capture the humanity in a less-than-common family situation. Udall creates an immense variety of sympathetic characters that worm their way into your heart and leave you yearning for the chance to meet them all in person. It took me more than a few chapters to find myself hooked, but after that I was spellbound. Never has a writer managed to make polygamy seem so humane. Golden and his family face all the normal human crises, they're simply exacerbated by the number of people in the picture. However, the book is quite earthy, includes a wide gambit of situations and language that sensitive readers won't find appealing. But if you're not afraid of the ride, then saddle up and enjoy Golden's unusual, yet unforgettable world.
DAP