As is the case with many book lovers, my “to read” pile is growing way faster than my ability to keep up with it. That means that I’m late to discovering some true gems. One such gem is Donna Gordon’s heartrending début novel, What Ben Franklin Would Have Told Me. With compassion, sensitivity, and insight, the novel explores the potentially life-changing power of connecting with others, even though it may first seem that we have nothing in common with them.
At the center of the novel, set during the Reagan years, is 13-year-old Lee Adams, who was born with Hutchinson-Guilford progeria syndrome, a condition that brings on rapid aging and, consequently, premature death. According to Lee’s doctor, the life expectancy for the condition is 15, at best. Lee’s single mother, Cass, is struggling to make sure that her son’s remaining time on Earth is as rewarding as possible while also holding down a job as a makeup artist for off-Broadway shows. In need of someone to look after Lee while she’s at work, Cass turns to an exile from Argentina, Tomás Concepción, whose cousin works at the same theater Cass does.
Although Tomás seems kind and willing to do everything that caring for Lee requires, Lee is instantly suspicious of him. As he tells Cass early in the novel, “I don’t think he’s been honest. About his past, I mean. I just have a feeling. I just hope he’s not a mass murderer.”
Tomás is far from a mass murderer, but it’s true that he’s holding back secrets (more on this later), and Lee is determined to figure out what they are. This is just one of the many ways in which Gordon gives Lee agency instead of portraying him as a victim or a figure of pity. Although he’s under no illusions about the nature of his condition and his destiny to live a short life, he doesn’t seem to be cowed by this reality. To the contrary, his boundless curiosity and his efforts to discover everything he can about Tomás–and anything else that piques his interest–make his short life feel far richer than the lives of most people who are granted many more years.
One topic that fascinates Lee is American history, especially the life of Ben Franklin:
This observation is especially poignant given Lee’s own smarts and resoluteness, and given how scarce–and precious–time is for him.
A turning point in the novel is a trip to Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia that Lee had planned to take with Cass and a dear friend of his, Kira, who was also born with Hutchinson-Guilford progeria syndrome. The trip is seen as a way for Lee to immerse himself more deeply in American history and in the life of Ben Franklin, arguably Philadelphia’s most famous citizen. Then, certain events threaten to doom the trip. First, Cass’s work schedule interferes with her ability to travel. Next, Kira dies, leaving Lee heartbroken.
But Tomás agrees to take Lee on the trip in Cass’s stead, promising her that he’ll make sure that Lee takes his medications and that he’ll seek medical attention for him if that becomes necessary. Although Lee remains suspicious of Tomás, continuing to wonder what secrets he’s harboring, he agrees to the new plan, understanding that this might be his last chance to make the trip.
As it turns out, Tomás’s secrets are connected to Argentina’s Dirty War (1976-1983), in which the country’s military dictatorship imprisoned, tortured, and sometimes killed suspected dissidents. Tomás’s work as a journalist in Buenos Aires put him in the crosshairs of the dictatorship, leading him to be separated from his pregnant wife, imprisoned, and tortured. Since being freed from prison, Tomás has hoped to find his wife and child, though he is far from certain that either one of them is alive.
Although Lee has done some research into the Dirty War, neither he nor Cass is aware that it separated Tomás from his wife and child and that the trip to Washington will have special significance to Tomás. A former colleague of his from Argentina, Margaret DaCosta, is now a journalist at the Washington Post, and she knows people who have connections to the sale of babies who were born to imprisoned mothers in Argentina. Tomás hopes that Margaret and her sources might be able to help him find his wife and baby, or at least learn their fate.
As Tomás eventually discovers, there’s no keeping these details secret from his inquisitive and persistent travel partner, Lee. When Lee discovers the whole truth about Tomás and his mission, he becomes determined to help him. So in parallel with honoring Lee’s original itinerary for Washington and Philadelphia, Lee, Tomás, and Margaret follow various clues where they lead, getting closer and closer to answers about what happened to Tomás’s wife and child.
Throughout this process, Lee is energized by a new sense of purpose, and his efforts become key to uncovering key information for Tomás. Also, he and Tomás form a deep bond that seems rooted in the pain and uncertainty that have been foisted upon them, albeit for different reasons. Over time, it becomes clear that as much as Tomás is looking out for Lee, Lee is looking out for Tomás, and Gordon’s writing about this connection is deeply moving.
A difficult choice Tomás makes near the end of the novel draws him and Lee even closer. As Gordon observes, “Lee had become [Tomás’s] world. Together they existed on an island of letting go.”
The reality that Lee must let go of life far too early haunts him, Cass, and Tomás from the beginning to the end of the novel, and Gordon’s writing about this is transcendent. In one especially striking passage, Lee takes stock of his situation while sitting by a sleeping Cass:
Luminous writing like this–as well as the captivating characters and story lines–make this novel deeply compelling and unforgettable.
Would My Pick be Your Pick?
If you're interested in ________, the answer may be "Yes":￭ Stories about living with serious life challenges
￭ Buddy stories
￭ Tales about solving mysteries
￭ Historical fiction
