The War for Gloria: A novel

Gloria, the titular heroine of this novel has ALS. Her son, Corey Goltz, is determined to care for her the way she has sacrificed her life for his. It is clear that the young Gloria had promise when she was young, but her life was derailed by her pregnancy. Corey’s father has been in and out of his life, but mostly absent up until the time of Gloria’s increasing illness. Corey does not know his father and becomes increasingly disturbed by his actions which are not in Gloria’s best interest.

Working-class Boston is the setting for this war between father and son. The father works at MIT and Corey had been led to believe in his father’s brilliance. As Corey does the best he can between school, work when he can get it, and navigating his mother’s debilitating condition, he is increasingly isolated except for a strange and problematic physicist friend whose odd behavior attracts and increasingly repels Corey. This is a gritty story about a young person burdened by adult responsibilities and at loose ends.