num_pages: 349
description: Walter McCloud is a boy with dreams unlike most. Introduced as a child to the genius of Balanchine and the lyricism of Tchaikovsky, Walter has always aspired to be a dancer. As he grows older, it becomes clear that despite his desire, he lacks the talent, and he faces the painful knowledge that his more gifted friends have already surpassed him.Soon, however, that pain is overshadowed when his older brother, Daniel, finds a strange lump on his neck and Walter realizes that a happy family can change overnight. The year that follows transforms the McClouds, as they try to hold together in the face of the fearful consequences of Daniel's illness, and Walter makes discoveries about himself and his friendships that will change him forever.Decades later, after Walter has left home and returned, he must come to terms with the memories of that year, and grapple once and for all with the challenge of carving out a place for himself in this all-too-familiar world.A moving story of the torments of sexuality and the redemptive power of family and friendship, The Short History of a Prince confirms Jane Hamilton's place as a preeminent novelist of our time.
language: English
title: The Short History of a Prince
titlecomplete: The Short History of a Prince
genres: Fiction, Coming Of Age, The United States Of America, LGBT, Drama, Novels, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction, Gay
ratings_count: 2166
awards: awardedAt: 915177600000
name: Orange Prize
category: Fiction Shortlist, awardedAt: 883641600000
name: Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize
category: Fiction
publisher: Anchor