Right of Thirst

(Paperback)

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Description

Reeling from his wifes death, cardiologist Charles Anderson is looking for meaning and purpose in his life. He volunteers to work as the doctor at a refugee camp, in a poverty-ridden Islamic country, set up to take the survivors of a devastating earthquake. But tensions rise to dangerous levels as bombs start to fall. Forced to continually re-evaluate his conceptions of what constitutes a good deed, Charles pushes himself ever further on his quest to do something morally unequivocal in a perilous and unforgiving land. A vivid and absorbing account of the limits of benevolence, Right of Thirst offers a subtle exploration of the clash between East and West, rich and poor, and the profound conflicts that divide the world, as well as the fundamental human qualities that unite us.

Reviews

"Frank Huyler creates a thrilling drama out of a few well-chosen elements." * Harper's Magazine *
A fascinating and heartbreaking meditation on healing and motivation Even when there's nothing happening in this beautifully austere novel, Huyler provides readers with plenty to ponder. * Minneapolis Star Tribune *
Breathtakingly vividscrupulous and severe in its allegiance to truth-telling. * The Times Literary Supplement *
"Resonant. . . . vivid and compassionate. . . . A timely, disquieting reflection on mortality, war and the startling dichotomy between the affluent West and the impoverished Third World." * Kirkus Reviews *
"He writes in a surgical fashion-with precision and care, making no sudden metaphorical movements. Huyler's protagonist resists easy answers or self-congratulatory axioms in examining the ethics of humanitarian intervention. * The New Yorker *
"Sturdy and evocative." * Publishers Weekly *
"Dr. Huyler's writing is quiet, precise, spellbinding from beginning to end Easily holds with the best contemporary fiction." * The New York Times *

Author Bio

An emergency physician in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Frank Huyler is the author of the essay collection The Blood of Strangers, as well as the novel The Laws of Invisible Things. He grew up in Iran, Brazil, and Japan.