My Father's Diet

Synopsis

A young man drifts through life in a struggling Midwestern town, balancing community college classes with low-paying jobs while quietly observing the disappointments that define his fractured family. He watches his divorced parents stumble through loneliness, failed relationships, and shrinking ambitions, saying little as he wrestles with equal measures of pity, frustration, tenderness, and love. His silence is finally broken when his father, fresh from another failed romance, announces an unexpected plan: he has entered a bodybuilding competition and wants his son's help to prepare.

Darkly funny, emotionally sharp, and unexpectedly moving, My Father's Diet is a searching examination of masculinity, class, family, and the quiet desperation that shapes ordinary lives. With biting wit and remarkable compassion, Adrian Nathan West explores the uneasy bonds between fathers and sons while questioning the ideals of strength, success, and self-worth that continue to define modern manhood.

About the Author

Adrian Nathan West is an American novelist, essayist, and acclaimed literary translator. His translations include works by Josef Winkler, Pere Gimferrer, and Marianne Fritz, and his writing has appeared in numerous literary publications. My Father's Diet showcases his distinctive blend of philosophical inquiry, dark humour, and psychological insight.

Publisher
Fitzcarraldo Editions

Publication Date
October 9, 2025

Format
Paperback

Pages
160

Subjects
Literary Fiction · Contemporary Fiction · Family Drama · American Literature

ISBN
9781913505226