Long for This World

A wise and richly symphonic first novel, Long for This World is a thoroughly contemporary family drama that hinges on a riveting medical dilemma. Dr. Henry Moss is a dedicated geneticist who stumbles upon a possible cure for a disease that causes rapid aging and early death in children. Although his discovery may hold the key to eternal youth, exploiting it is an ethical minefield. Henry must make a painful choice: he can save the life of a critically ill boy he has grown to love -- at the cost of his career -- or he can sell his findings for a fortune to match the wealth of his dot-com-rich Seattle neighbors. Henry turns to his family for support, and in their intimately detailed lives unfolds a story of unforgettable characters grappling with their own demons.

Author: Michael Byers
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Published: 05/21/2004
Pages: 448
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.12lbs
Size: 8.38h x 5.56w x 1.14d
ISBN: 9780618446483

Review Citation(s):
New York Times 06/20/2004 pg. 20

About the Author
Byers, Michael: - Michael Byers's story collection The Coast of Good Intentions won the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. Long for This World was featured on the History Channel's "Mavericks, Miracles, and Medicine." The recipient of a Whiting Foundation Writer's Award, Byers lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and two children.