Fiction Old And New reading group meets the first Friday of each month.
On August 7, 2026 at 8 PM Eastern we will discuss The book, The River Is Waiting A Novel (DB130332) By Wally Lamb.
The facilitator for this meeting will be LeDon: ledonb@outlook.com.
See my review below.
The Meeting link is at heading level 1.
My review
New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb, acclaimed for his books She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True, now gives us his latest novel, The River Is Waiting: A Novel (DB130332). This is a stunning novel of remorse, sorrow, and enduring love, and it has been selected as an Oprah’s Book Club selection. Drawing on more than twenty years of volunteering inside prisons, Lamb brings an uncommon realism and authenticity to prison life. Those experiences have given him a deep understanding of guilt, forgiveness, hope, and redemption. Through realistic dialogue and richly drawn characters, he tells the compelling story of an ordinary man forced to confront the harsh realities of prison life.
The story opens on what seems like an ordinary morning. Corby Ledbetter has been out of work as a commercial artist for some time, and finding another job has become increasingly difficult. While his wife, Emily, goes off to work each day, Corby stays home caring for their young twins.
Before breakfast, he reaches into a kitchen cabinet and pours himself a stiff drink from the bottle of bourbon he keeps hidden from his wife. It is the first hint that alcohol has become his escape.
Corby wakes the twins by playing peek-a-boo, laughing and enjoying every minute with them. It is easy to see how deeply he loves his children.
After Emily leaves for work, Corby tells the children they are going to Grandma’s. Before leaving, he pours himself another stiff drink to fortify himself for the day.
As he loads the children into the car, a brief distraction causes him to lose sight of little Niko. Believing both children are safely inside, Corby backs out of the driveway. Seconds later, he discovers that he has run over his own son.
At the hospital, the doctor delivers the devastating news that Niko has died. Emily is consumed by grief and sees only one person responsible for her son’s death. Meanwhile, Corby sits in stunned silence. As the police investigate the accident, a blood test reveals that he had been drinking. Corby’s attorney suggests a lie that might keep him out of prison. If he claims that he went back into the house after the accident and took a drink and some pills to calm his nerves, the court may believe that the alcohol was not in his system at the time of the accident. Corby refuses to lie. To him, dishonoring his son’s memory with a lie would be worse than any punishment the court could impose. Instead, he accepts full responsibility for what he has done.
At his trial, overwhelmed by guilt and convinced that he deserves to be punished, Corby refuses to let his attorney defend him and pleads guilty.
The judge sentences Corby to five years in prison, with the possibility of early release after three years for good behavior.
As weeks become months and months become years, Corby lives with the constant anguish of knowing what he has done. Every day he struggles to obey the prison rules, determined to prove to Emily that he has changed. He clings to the hope that when he is finally released, she might forgive him and they can become a family again.
His years in prison are anything but easy. He experiences both the kindness of true friendship and the cruelty of brutal treatment. Through it all, he works tirelessly to become the best man he can be, hoping that one day he will earn his freedom and once again kiss his wife, hold his daughter, and hug his mother.
My thoughts:
This novel kept me glued to every page because, as the story unfolded, it became the journey of a broken man trying to reclaim his life.
From the opening pages, Lamb writes Corby with such warmth and honesty that I soon began thinking of him as someone I actually knew. It was obvious that Corby loved his wife and children, but when he poured himself a drink before breakfast, I knew This thing is not going to end well.
When he stepped out of the car and realized that he had run over his son, I thought, “Oh my God, This is going to be such a tragedy.” At that moment, I realized this story was about one terrible mistake made by a basically decent man that would destroy everything he loved.
When his attorney suggested that he lie about when he had taken the drink, I found myself hoping he would take her advice and lie. Not because I wanted him to escape responsibility, but because I wanted him to have another chance to become a better husband, father, and man.
As I waited for the judge’s decision, I found myself wondering, “What if this were me? How would I ever survive prison? Would I spend every day wondering if my wife would divorce me and my daughter would forget me? Could she ever forgive me? More importantly, could I ever forgive myself?” I know the answer. I never would forgive myself.
As the guards led Corby from the courtroom, I could almost feel the cost of his shattered future. All he loved had been swept away in a single, heartbreaking moment.
Everything I know about prison has come from television, the movies, or books. I have always pictured it as a place filled only with violence, fear, and misery. I had never considered that genuine friendships and compassionate people might also exist behind prison walls. Yet that is exactly what Corby discovers.
Although this book was sometimes difficult to read because of its emotional intensity, I was pleased with the way it ended. Emily finally finds the strength to survive the grief that had tormented her for so long. In time, she comes to realize that despite all of Corby’s weaknesses, mistakes, and failures, he never stopped loving her or their children. She also comes to understand that life is like a river, always flowing always changing.
If you enjoy character-driven novels more than fast-paced thrillers, I believe you will find this to be a deeply moving and rewarding book. Check it out, and let me know what you think.
