The Reunion

Aaron Miller is an honorable Vietnam veteran who was cut off from his wife and children after the war.  His children grow up thinking he never cared to be part of their lives.   He's a handyman at a trailer park, loved and respected by everyone he knows.

An investigative reporter is hired to find Aaron and in the process, he finds Aaron's son and daughter.  The son is more open to the idea of learning more about Aaron, but the daughter is much more resistant.  She's not exactly in the mood to discuss her father when she is still trying to nheal from her husband's affair and their subsequent divorce.  In this relatively short novel, Dan expertly weaves the lives of many individuals into tearful closure.

Reunion is an incredible story that reminds us to honor our veterans.  When the Vietnam vets returned, they were spit on and protested and services were lacking.   I can't remember the statistics for the number of veterans who are homeless, but I do know that a good number of them are due to substance abuse and mental illness.   Think of the implications of those who just returned from Iraq and Afghanistan.  Many of us will never be able to comprehend all that they have endured.  Not everyone will receive the recognition they deserve, either.   This book is a glimpse into the "what if."