Matthew Quick, “The Reason You’re Alive”

The bestselling author of “The Silver Linings Playbook” offers a timely novel featuring his most fascinating character yet, a Vietnam vet embarking on a quixotic crusade to track down his nemesis from the war. As David Granger confronts his past, a poignant portrait emerges: that of an opinionated and good-hearted American patriot fighting like hell to stay true to his red, white, and blue heart, even as the country he loves rapidly changes. “The Reason You’re Alive” examines how the debts we carry from our past define us and offers an ultimately hopeful view of America’s polarized psyche.