Dear Readers,

Earthbound began as one family’s story, but I came to understand it as something larger: the story of many American families whose lives were rooted in land that has since become golf courses, roads, developments, and suburban homes.

At its heart, the book asks what happens when a family loses not only people, but place. What do we carry forward? What do we misremember? What do we long for without always knowing why?

These questions are offered for book clubs, reading groups, libraries, and anyone interested in discussing the themes of family, memory, abandonment, land, identity, and the changing American landscape.

I am happy to join book club discussions by Zoom, and, when possible, in person.

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Babette Ballinger