The Barton clan has a way of sticking with you long after you turn the last page. There really isn't a dull moment in either DONUTS ARE MEANT TO BE EATEN or ONLY THE TRYING. Beginning in 1979, and very much describing the characters' experience of time and place, personality driven drama marches on through time to inevitable conclusions. Told with mature insight and compassion for the characters' feckless behavior, but also very much giving the reader a sensory experience of the moment- either what it feels like to be an adolescent male in the late seventies South or a disillusioned wife and mother in a post tech revolution world. Favorite characters include Aloysius for his ungodly antics and Lily for her compulsions. Sex, violence, and eventually love punctuate the plot and keep things moving along.Using a "Gonzo" narrative style to examine complicated modern issues, author Alex Cook explores topics like race, sexuality, addiction, politics, mental health, parenting and the effect that rapidly changing technology has on society and the human species. Full of references to literature, music, and pop culture, it's a raucous, poignant family dramedy with the power to entertain and inspire. This is the first book in a two-part series. The second is ONLY THE TRYING.