What We Leave Behind

Sue Halpern is the author of eight books of fiction and nonfiction, most recently Summer Hours at the Robbers Library. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times Magazine, the New York Review of Books, Rolling Stone, and Condé Nast Traveler. A former New Yorker staff writer, she lives in Vermont with her husband, the writer and environmental activist Bill McKibben, and is a scholar-in-residence at Middlebury College.

"Sue Halpern’s latest novel takes on the eternal big questions (identity, fate vs. free will) as well as many of their modern permutations (the pandora’s box of genetic testing, the bankruptcy of meritocracy) in a novel that’s as propulsive as it is philosophical. Whether they’re related by blood, law, or the more contingent bond of friendship, Halpern’s beguiling, prickly characters achieve small but indisputable measures of grace as they reckon with their families of origin. With superb plotting and raucous wit added to the mix, What We Leave Behind is a deliciously absorbing read." — Alison Bechdel, author of Fun Home“A novel that is populated with complex yet sympathetic characters who will touch readers’ hearts and open their minds.” — Library Journal“Halpern’s well-developed characters and complex family relationships will appeal to fans of contemporary relationship fiction writers like Jodi Picoult or Sue Miller.” — Booklist“This engrossing novel asks the age-old question of nature versus nurture. Is it how we’re raised or is identity hardwired? Get ready for an exploration of love, family, loss and relationships.” — Lee Woodruff“Halpern’s characters jump off the page as living, breathing individuals that we want to root for. While Melody and Candace are nothing alike in background and age, they have much in common with how they view their past, present, and future. Readers will find many ways to connect with these two women as well as the other people in their lives.” — Woman Around Town“The stories of the two women are woven together well, in a thoughtful and emotionally deep book.” — Motherhood Moment“What We Leave Behind is an intimate and thought-provoking novel that explores the complicated ties of family, identity, and emotional inheritance. Through the parallel journeys of Melody and Candace, Sue Halpern paints a layered portrait of what it means to search for truth when the past refuses to stay buried. The writing is both tender and sharp, with characters that feel honest and deeply human. This story invites readers to sit with the messiness of love, loss, and self-discovery and to consider the invisible threads that bind us.” — Book Referees