The Crying Tree: A Story of Redemption

"Beautifully written, expertly crafted, forcefully rendered. The Crying Tree is a story of redemption, but at its core it is a love story as well, and that is the most powerful story of all," says Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain.

A more common name for the "crying tree" is the willow, and one grows near the grave of a fifteen-year-old boy, Shep, shot and killed in his family's home. Daniel, a young neighbor with a history of violence, has been apprehended and sentenced to death. Shep's murder sends his family into a tailspin, with each member attempting to cope with the tragedy in his or her own way. Shep's mother, Irene, lives week after week, waiting for Daniel's execution. Those weeks turn into months and then years. Struggling with severe depression, alcoholism, and despair, Irene takes the extraordinary and clandestine step of writing to Daniel in prison. The two forge an unlikely connection that remains a secret from family and friends. Then Irene receives the notice that she had craved for so long - Daniel will be executed within a month. This announcement shakes the very core of the Stanley family. Irene, it turns out, isn't the only one with a shocking secret.

Dramatic, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting, THE CRYING TREE is an unforgettable book about the unbreakable bonds of family and the transformative power of forgiveness.

Praise

"The Crying Tree is everything that great fiction stands for. It is an immense tale of sadness, of incredible loss—perhaps the greatest loss, losing a child. It's also about the arduous, soul-shattering journey of trying to pick up the pieces, make sense of the world, and eventually move forward. It's a tale of redemption in overcoming the loss of faith in life itself." — Weekly Volcano

"The Crying Tree offers readers an enthralling story. It also offers a sense of hope: the possibility that we, as a society, may someday find a place for genuine forgiveness within our justice system." — High Country News

"A powerful and stunning debut novel...replete with insights into the delicate family dynamics and suppressed emotions of those left behind. Written with wisdom and such sensitivity." — Spokesman Review

"Rakha brings hard questions for which there are no black-and-white answers to the fore. Readers are forced to question their own beliefs as Rakha's characters delve into their own." — Deseret News

"A compelling read ... whose message lingers: At what point does that to which we cling for our survival become the very thing that robs us of our life?" - The Oregonian

"Beautiful and passionate ... Highly recommended." — Library Journal

"Spellbinding " — Publisher's Weekly

About the Author

Naseem is an award-winning author and journalist whose stories have been heard on NPR's All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Marketplace Radio, Christian Science Monitor, and Living on Earth. She lives in Oregon with her husband, son, and many animals. When Naseem isn't writing, she's reading, knitting, hiking, gardening, or just watching the seasons roll in and out.

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