At the Heart of the Universe

“A heartfelt exploration of the meaning of family and how the bonds that link people surpass cultural, religious, and economic divides.” -Publishers Weekly

“At the Heart of the Universe tells a moving story that is full of understanding and psychological intensity. In the context of a harrowing adventure in contemporary China, this large-hearted novel reaffirms the necessity of empathy, self-discovery, love.” —Ha Jin, author of A Map of Betrayal

“At the Heart of the Universe is poignant and tender, a novel about love, about parenting and the nature of home. Shem’s insights about China and about character remind us that geography is destiny. This is a lovely, transformative story.”  —Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting for Stone

“A powerful, gripping tour de force.  A story that will stay with you forever, unforgettable characters, and vivid writing that brings China alive from Changsha City to the sacred Mount Emei.  One of the very best books I’ve ever read and fallen in love with.” —Frances Moore Lappé, author of Diet for a Small Planet and EcoMind 
 
“[At the Heart of the Universe] is an imaginative and truly creative exploration of the amazing ways that adoption affects the many people touched by it.” —Shanti Fry, founder of the nationwide organization Families of Children from China (FCC), and editor of the FCC newsletter

“This is both a gorgeous novel of particulars set against the fascinating backdrop of the Chinese mountains, and a hauntingly universal account of loss, gain, and new beginnings.” —Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature

“The historic confrontation between America and China is distilled to its poignant essence in At the Heart of the Universe—a story of one family and its unbreakable ties both to one another, and to the larger human fate. Samuel Shem is a sharp-minded, compassionate writer whose work always illuminates.” —James Carroll, author of Warburg in Rome

“Entwining ancient Chinese customs and modern American family life, Shem takes us on a compelling journey into the thicket of desperate love and aching doubts that define the parent-child relationship.” —Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of “What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine.”


“At the Heart of the Universe is a moving exploration of what it means to be a family in this global world, and the complications of love within it. These characters are heartbreaking in both their flaws and yearnings, and by the ending, I had tears in my eyes.”  —Shilpi Somaya Gowda, NYT bestselling author of Secret Daughter