Nebraska

George Whitmore's acclaimed and affecting coming-of-age novel about a boy searching for his identity in the wake of a terrible accident
When a car crash took one of his legs at age twelve, it also robbed Craig of his last hope for a steady childhood. Living in a Nebraska town with his abusive, alcoholic father and strong-willed mother, Craig is delighted when, in the middle of his recuperation, his uncle Wayne returns home, discharged from service in the navy. At times Wayne is like a surrogate father to Craig, helping him with his rehabilitation and igniting his imagination with tales of adventure sailing around the world. But with Wayne's nightly calls to a man known as "the Chief," it becomes clear to Craig that his uncle is still very much a mystery.
Beautifully written and utterly heartrending, Nebraskais a poignant story about a boy's maturation into manhood, and about the vividly drawn family members that surround him throughout his youth in the doldrums of rural life.