Man Overboard! - by Kathleen Rooney (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From the nationally bestselling author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, comes a funny and moving novel in which a former college swimmer falls off a cruise ship and must keep treading water as memories and regrets wash over him--perfect for fans of Where'd You Go, Bernadette; Florence Adler Swims Forever; and The Wedding People.

"Man Overboard! is destined to be the best book of the summer." --Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The View From Lake Como

Patrick "Kick" Kilpatrick hates the ocean. Has always been terrified of it. And now he's in a real pickle.

Drifting alone in the sea after falling (or jumping? He can't remember as the all-inclusive drinks on the cruise he was taking with his extended family were, well, inclusive) Kick must survive. Breath by breath, hour by hour in the lonely sea.

As the waves crash over him, so too do the thoughts and memories of just how he got there. A Thanksgiving cruise with an obnoxious brother-in-law he has to bite his tongue to keep from screaming at. A father who gives the Great Santini a run for his money. And a mother, who already left the family boat, so to speak, a long time ago. His family may be complicated, and the pains of life may seem unbearable--infuriating enough to leap from the deck--but maybe the will to survive is stronger.

Man Overboard! is an inventive, slyly hilarious, and inspiring novel about what it means to be alive, stay alive, and what keeps us going no matter how choppy the waves of our journey become. Hold on for dear life!

Review Quotes

Praise for Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk

"Transporting...witty, poignant and sparkling."
--People (People Picks Book of the Week)

"Extraordinary...hilarious...Elegantly written, Rooney creates a glorious paean to a distant literary life and time and an unabashed celebration of human connections that bridge past and future."
--Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review)

"If you haven't read Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, you'll want to rectify that immediately."
--Jennifer Weiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Effervescent with verve, wit, and heart, Rooney's nimble novel celebrates insouciance, creativity, chance, and valor."
--Booklist (starred review)

"Irresistible...funny and touching."
--Boston Globe

"There is a little of Lillian Boxfish in all of us. And if there isn't, there ought to be."
--Julia Claiborne Johnson, author of Be Frank With Me

"Needle-sharp."
--Wall Street Journal

"Prescient and quick....A perfect fusing of subject and writer, idea and ideal."
--Chicago Tribune

"Easily the best gadding-around-town novel since Dawn Powell and Dorothy Parker."
--Daniel Handler, author of Why We Broke Up and We Are Pirates

"A profound, hilarious and utterly charming novel. Rooney fearlessly explores what remains of a man when everything is stripped away, and offers a startling and deeply felt answer about the nature of forgiveness and grace."--Kathy Wang, National bestselling author of The Satisfaction Cafe

"Man Overboard! is destined to be the best book of the summer. The magnificent Kathleen Rooney is back with a novel about "Kick" Kilpatrick, who finds himself at sea in every aspect of his life, except this time, he's literally in the water. For readers everywhere who enjoy a cocktail and have endured vacation with a dysfunctional family. For those who have cruised with high hopes on the high seas, Man Overboard! is for you. Packed with hilarity and wisdom, I could not put it down. What a voice! Jump in! You will be happy you did." --Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The View From Lake Como

About the Author

Kathleen Rooney is the nationally bestselling author of Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk, as well as Cher Ami and Major Whittlesey and From Dust to Stardust. She has won the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize from Poetry magazine and the Adam Morgan Literary Citizen Award from the Chicago Review of Books. Kathleen's criticism can be found in The New York Times, the Star Tribune (Minneapolis), The Brooklyn Rail, Chicago magazine, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and beyond. She lives in Chicago with her spouse, the writer Martin Seay, and teaches English and creative writing at DePaul University.