The Rest of Our Lives    by Ben Markovits Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2025 (2025) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Barbara Lingens This story is for adults willing to accompany the author on a thoughtful view of middle age. Tom, put on leave by his eastern university, struggling with unknown but visible health issues, drives his youngest child to the next step of her life - college. After that, instead of going home, he heads west to see, among others, his old girlfriend and a college friend, ruminating about his life and his family on the way. As the story of his life emerges, it is not so much what happened as how he and his family reacted. His hindsight seems quite honest. He clearly sees not only what everyone else could have done better, but also how differently he could have acted. It is also interesting to see how he reacts to the older versions of the people he visits and how he ponders whether he could or would want to fit in their lives now. The writing is very smooth, and Tom's thoughts are so well expressed that his story is really interesting. It is easy to see why this was shortlisted for a Booker Prize. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews