An acclaimed author reflects on his upbringing in a post--World War II blue-collar family and comes to terms with the racism, sexism, and other toxic values he inherited. Love & Fury tells a story that comprises five generations of an American family, examining the continuing impact of history as it shapes the lives of people struggling with the complexities of contemporary life. From the author's grandfather, a "breaker boy" sent down into the anthracite mines of Pennsylvania at the age of ten, to his young grandson, whose father is among the estimated one million young black men incarcerated today, Love & Fury offers an examination of the social, familial, and ethical contours of American life. With honesty and compassion, Hoffman grapples with the values he inherited in his boomer-generation boyhood from a father whose ideas about masculinity, race, class, violence, women, and religion were a product of his time. At the book's core are...

It Always Rains in November follows the story of a dysfunctional family, hiding a dark, disturbing secret.

Interference & Other Stories of characters who express their feelings in a variety of ideas, thoughts and questions. Hoffman's writing makes us consider and question our own position on each subject covered in the book. The novel explores death, yearning, understanding and curiosity. We read about a police man who is still hurting from his son's death but is trying to move on by marrying his girlfriend. We learn about another man who is a recovered alcoholic and keeps busy by working in his car shop and being an advisor for a guy who is part of Alcoholics Anonymous. Additional stories are about a father and his son leaving the grocery store and a woman speaking to a marine over lunch asking questions about joining and what it is like. One story that I could relate to is Sundown Jesus. A young man, Geory, goes to visit his uncle in a nursing home. When Geory gets there a doctor speaks with him about giving his uncle medication for his depression. Geory prefers to...