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A remarkable child transforms a small, rural community-and soon the world. A young, unmarried Amish woman, attended by the country veterinarian, delivers an enormous baby, and no one in Lakota, Wisconsin, knows what to make of the boy. Raised by his brother on a struggling farm, Gabriel Fisher walks at eight months, communicates with animals, and possesses extraordinary athletic abilities. When his brother dies, Gabriel is taken in by devout Amish grandparents, and for a time, he disappears into the anonymity of Amish life. But at age seventeen, and nearly eight feet tall, Gabriel is spotted working in a hay field by the local football coach, and his life changes. In Life, and Death, and Giants , Gabriel''s remarkable story is told by those whose lives are transformed by him: Thomas Kennedy, the veterinarian who delivers him and becomes his mentor; Hannah Fisher, Gabriel''s Amish grandmother, who is troubled by deep gaps in her faith; Billy Walton, the salty bar owner and bridge between the Amish and English communities in Lakota; and Trey Beathard, the football coach, who tries to counsel Gabriel as his fame explodes-with consequences that no-one can predict . . . An unforgettable story of faith, family, buried secrets, and everyday miracles for fans of Elizabeth Strout and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button . Life, and Death, and Giants is an intriguing and alluring novel from beginning to end. The events are startling, sad, amusing, invigorating, and informative. Reading it is like meeting a family that you never knew existed and becoming close friends in a few weeks. Highly recommended - Jane Smiley, author of A Thousand Acres
About the author
RON RINDO is a professor of English and creative writing at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. He has published one previous novel,
Breathing Lake Superior, and three short story collections. He lives in Pickett, Wisconsin.
