The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall

I started this book a few days ago and haven't had as much time to put into as I'd like. It's been one of those books I bought and meant to read right away but then forgot to start. So I finally started it and I'm wishing I had left it on my nightstand just a little bit longer, at least until my summer class is finished and I can spend a day sitting on the deck, sipping iced tea, and reading a good book. I'm only a few chapters in and already drawn into the world of this huge family. The title may seem disingenuous, after all, how can a polygamist with 4 wives and 28 children be lonely, but it's easy to see how Golden Richards can feel isolated,  overwhelmed and even marginalized by his lifestyle. Supposedly the head of the three households holding his four families, Golden instead seems to be overwhelmed by the constant activity around him, the need to balance his time and attention evenly among his wives and their children and to provide financial support for his families. He seems lost in his own world, adrift in the constant eddies of family life swirling around him. The book is filled with real characters, all with their own personalities and flaws, and I'm looking forward to reading more about this family.