The Matter with Morris

Finished November 4
The Matter with Morris by David Bergen
This is an intense look at a man struggling with grief and guilt and trying to find a reason behind what has happened and a way to move forward. Morris's son Martin had joined the army after an argument with Morris and has now been killed in Afghanistan. He was killed by one of the men in his own company in a sad accident. Morris feels responsible for Martin joining the army as Morris himself is a pacifist and was raised as one by his father, a Mennonite minister. Morris's father is failing in health and is now in a nursing home suffering from dementia. Morris is a journalist, who has made his living writing a syndicated column, often using his personal life and family as subjects. With the loss of his son, he has continued to write about his reactions to it, but has been asked by his agent to take a leave before his popularity declines further than it has. His writing has fallen towards anger and sadness and lost the wry humour it used to have. Morris's reactions leads to distance between himself and his wife Lucille. It also leads to changes in the relationship between him and his two daughters Meredith and Libby.
This is a story of Morris and how he reaches out, plumbs his own depths, and tries to get a grip on what has happened and how to come to terms with it, so he can continue life.