Stephen Harrigan's mesmerizing tale 'Remember' weaves ties of people, places

It's not too early to anoint "Remember Ben Clayton" as one of the best novels of 2011. Author Stephen Harrigan has written a moving, profound book about art, the wages of war and family, brilliantly condensed into 352 pages. Skillfully composed, emotionally engaging, the story (set just after World War I ends) of a Texas rancher trying to reclaim his son by the commission of a statue is alternately heartbreaking and uplifting. Like Ian McEwan's "Atonement" and Michael Chabon's "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," Harrigan magically re-creates a point in history while engaging readers with a mesmerizing story...more