Night Navigation A Novel [Paperback]

Night Navigationopens on a freezing-rain night in upstate New York: the kindling gone, the fire in the woodstove out. Del’s thirty-seven-year-old manic-depressive son needs a ride, but she’s afraid to make the long drive north to the only detox that has a bed.

Through the four seasons,Night Navigationtakes us into the deranged, darkly humorous world of the addict—from break-your-arm dealers, to boot-camp rehabs, to Rumi-quoting NA sponsors. Al-Anon tells Del to “let go”; NAMI tells her to “hang on.” Mark cannot find a way to live in this world. Del cannot stop trying to rescue him. And yet, during this long year’s night, through relapse and despair, they see flare-ups of hope as Mark and Del fitfully, painfully try to steer toward the light.

Told in the alternating voices of an addict and his mother, this riveting novel adds new depths to our understanding and our literature of parents and their troubled children.

The house is cold. He doesn't look at her, just sits hunched at the kitchen table, with the hood of his sweatshirt up: under cover. Her son. He is even thinner than when she left.

Night Navigation opens on a freezing-rain night in upstate New York: the kindling gone; the fire in the wood stove out. Del's 37 year old manic-depressive son Mark is already in withdrawal and Del's afraid to make the long drive north to the only detox that has a bed.

Through the four seasons, Night Navigation takes us into the deranged, darkly humorous world of the addict -- from gun-toting dealers, to boot camp rehabs, to Koan-spouting NA sponsors. It also takes us into the repeating nightmare of a mother's anger, worry, despair, and hope. Mark cannot find a way to live in this world. Del cannot stop trying to rescue him. Through this long year's night, as Mark fitfully, painfully tries to steer toward the light, the steadfast love of mother and son is their sole sustaining ló'