Ordinary People by Judith Guest

Judith Guest writes a gripping story about an ordinary family dealing with an awful occurrence in Ordinary People. Although it has been some time since the oldest sun Buck let go of the boat and drowned, the family is still dealing with the enormous impact of that one awful day. Guest writes from the perspective of both the younger son Conrad and his father Cal. The novel is mainly concerned with Conrad's recovery from an attempted suicide and on going depression. We slowly follow the family of three throughout the year on the path to recovery. Through changing perspective, Guest gives us an in depth look of the actual family problems and the true view of everyone. In the end, Conrad moves on and is able to appreciate others, Cal learns that not everyone needs his help, and the mom realizes that she has to move on and leave for awhile to figure out what she wants. I incredibly enjoyed Ordinary People. It gave me a interesting look at a devastating situation. I recommend this book to anyone in the mood for a moving read. - Grace E., class of 2012