A "funny and devastating" ( Boston Globe ) story about family, friendship, grief, acceptance & Richard Gere from a New York Times –bestselling author. "Funny, touching, wise, and ultimately life-affirming." —Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain "Quirky, feel-good fiction. . . . A whimsical, clever narrative." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) For thirty-eight years, Bartholomew Neil has lived with his mother. When she gets sick and dies, he has no idea how to be on his own. He thinks he's found a clue when he discovers a "Free Tibet" letter from Richard Gere hidden in his mother's underwear drawer. In her final days, Mom called him Richard—there must be a cosmic connection. Bartholomew awkwardly starts his new life, writing Gere a series of letters—Jung and the Dalai Lama, philosophy and faith, alien abduction and cat telepathy are all explored in his soul-baring epistles. But mostly the letters reveal one man's desire to assemble a family of his own. A struggling priest, a "Girlbrarian," her feline-loving, foul-mouthed brother, and the spirit of Richard Gere all join the quest to help Bartholomew. In a rented Ford Focus, they travel to Canada to see the Cat Parliament and find his biological father . . .and discover so much more. "It's impossible not to love each of these deeply flawed characters. . . . As funny as it is touching, Quick's latest effort is on par with Silver Linings ." — USA Today "Compelling and important prose. . . . Fans of Wally Lamb, Mark Haddon, or Winston Groom will appreciate." — Library Journal