Book Tuesday : Ordinary People by Judith Guest

This is the story of a upper middle class family who has gone through the lost of their elder son Buck. It follows the aftermath of this event through the eyes of the younger son Conrad and the father Calvin.

Conrad had been release from a psychiatric facility where he was committed after he tried to commit suicide. He is trying to adjust to his daily routine by resuming his school life but quickly realizes he can not go back to how things were before his brother's death and his suicide attempt. We also see how Conrad perceives his relationship with his parents, how different his mother treats him and how his father treats him.

Calvin is also trying to deal with the lost of his oldest son and at the same time he is constantly worrying about Conrad. He encourages Conrad to seek support with a psychiatrist Dr. Berger. Calvin, like Conrad, slowly realizes that something may not be right with his family and tries to come to term with that.

Ordinary People is a compelling story of how a tragic event can change the dynamics of a family and they way each individuals deals with the aftermath.