The Lonely Polygamist

The absolute worst job I ever had was the summer after my sophomore year of college, the summer I turned 21.  I lived with my family in suburban Seattle, and made minimum wage working in the school age "classroom" of a daycare.  There were more than 20 kids who ranged in age from 7-12 and the other provider who worked with me had just as much experience working with kids as I did, which is to say, none.  Not only did we have no curriculum, but these were the worst behaved kids I had ever interacted with.  Their moods ranged from ennui to rage and of course the best ones never got our attention.  It takes a lot for me to lose my temper with kids, but they tried me and more than once I had to leave the room and cry in the kitchen.  And for two days that summer I lost my voice completely, although I had no other physical signs that would lead to that; I simply could not talk, scream, reason, beg anymore.

Russell was one of the worst kids.  Although it amazes me that by age 8 a kid can be branded as "bad", Russell was just that.  He would yell, destroy the classroom and fight with other kids.  Only once did my heart warm to him; he was looking for a lunch box he'd brought and was frantic.  I asked him what was in it that was so important and he looked at me with tearful eyes and replied, "treats!"  It reminded me that he was just a kid and really did have simple desires.
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall is the story of Golden, his four wives and two dozen children and the landscape of Nevada.  Rusty is one of the children, a 12 year old who is branded a terror by his own family.  Of course he terrorizes his brothers and sisters for attention and wishes for nothing more than a hug from his mom-- his own version of a lunchbox filled with treats.  He meets and befriends June, a loner who makes firecrackers and is building a bomb shelter.  June recognizes Rusty as a younger version of himself and as such, realizes there's really no place for him in this offshoot of the Mormon church.  The reader recognizes that those who do fit in are those fled from previous lives with even fewer options.
Mr. Udall crafts this story (and reading it, you realize he is a master storyteller) through the eyes of Golden, who is pulled in so many directions he just cannot make any decisions, Rusty, who is doomed from conception and Trish, the 4th wife whose grief over a stillborn baby never lets her integrate with the other wives.  I was amazed I could empathize with a man with 4 wives and dozens of children, or a plural wife or a 12 year old boy.  But they were all just looking for connections, which ironically couldn't be found.  I hadn't thought about Russell in years, but realize that he must be around 18 now.  I wonder if he turned out okay.  I kind of doubt it.
I have to look through what I've read this year, but I think this the best book of the year.  5/5 netflix stars.