The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. This compulsively readable book consists of two interwoven narratives: In one, we meet Yale Tishman, a young gay man in 1980s Chicago, a time when the AIDS crisis was hitting its terrible peak. The development director for an art gallery, Yale is attempting to acquire some valuable art from an elderly woman named Nora. The second narrative is from the perspective of Fiona, Nora’s great-niece and Yale’s good friend. Fiona is in Paris, trying to track down her estranged daughter, who disappeared when she joined a cult. The novel is a poignant reminder of that terrible period, as well as a powerful contemplation of memory and community.
