In 'This Is How It Always Is', Laurie Frankel explores the complexities of family dynamics and the unexpected journey of a young boy named Claude, who wishes to be a girl. Against the backdrop of societal expectations and the pursuit of happiness, the Ripple family grapples with love, secrets, and the fear of the unknown. As they navigate the challenges of acceptance, they discover that the truth can liberate but also complicate their lives in ways they never anticipated. This poignant narrative invites readers to reflect on gender identity, authenticity, and what it truly means to be a family. Will they embrace their child’s truth, or will fear and societal norms dictate their actions?
By Laurie Frankel
Published: 2018
"Families are like umbrellas; they can either shield you from the storms of life or trap you under their weight."
The Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick “Every once in a while, I read a book that opens my eyes in a way I never expected.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine book pick) People Magazine’s Top 10 Books of 2017 Amazon’s Best Books of 2017: Top 20 Amazon’s Best Literature and Fiction of 2017 Bustle’s 17 Books Every Woman Should Read From 2017 PopSugar’s Our Favorite Books of the Year (So Far) Refinery29's Best Books of the Year So Far BookBrowse’s The 20 Best Books of 2017 Pacific Northwest Book Awards Finalist The Globe and Mail's Top 100 Books of 2017 “It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think.” —Liane Moriarty, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies This is how a family keeps a secret...and how that secret ends up keeping them. This is how a family lives happily ever after...until happily ever after becomes complicated. This is how children change...and then change the world. This is Claude. He’s five years old, the youngest of five brothers, and loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl. Rosie and Penn want Claude to be whoever Claude wants to be. They’re just not sure they’re ready to share that with the world. Soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes. Laurie Frankel's This Is How It Always Is is a novel about revelations, transformations, fairy tales, and family. And it’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again, parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts, children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever.
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“Families are like umbrellas; they can either shield you from the storms of life or trap you under their weight.”
This Is How It Always Is
By Laurie Frankel
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Laurie Frankel is an acclaimed author known for her insightful and poignant storytelling that often explores themes of love, family, and the complexities of human relationships. Her notable works include 'This Is How It Always Is', a bestselling novel that tackles issues of identity and acceptance, and 'Goodbye, Vitamin', a humorous and touching exploration of memory and mental health. Frankel's writing style is characterized by its warmth, wit, and profound empathy, making her books both relatable and thought-provoking.
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