The River Is Waiting
- Judith D Collins
- Jul 19
- 7 min read
By: Wally Lamb
Narrator: Jeremy Sisto
Simon & Schuster Audio
ISBN: 9781668006399
Publisher: Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books
Publication Date: 06/10/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars + (ARC)
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From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two Oprah Book Club Picks—She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True—Wally Lamb comes the propulsive story of a young father who, after an unbearable tragedy, reckons with the possibility of atonement for the unforgivable.
Corby Ledbetter is struggling. New fatherhood, the loss of his job, and a growing secret addiction have thrown his marriage to his beloved Emily into a tailspin. And that’s before he causes the tragedy that tears the family apart. Sentenced to prison, Corby struggles to survive life on the inside, where he bears witness to frightful acts of brutality but also experiences small acts of kindness and elemental kinship with a prison librarian who sees his light and some of his fellow offenders, including a tender-hearted cellmate and a troubled teen desperate for a role model. Buoyed by them and by his mother’s enduring faith in him, Corby begins to transcend the boundaries of his confinement, sustained by his hope that mercy and reconciliation might still be possible. Can his crimes ever be forgiven by those he loves?
My Review
Master storyteller Wally Lamb’s latest and third Oprah Pick (by Lamb), THE RIVER IS WAITING, is so hauntingly realistic, intense, and emotional, you may think you are reading non-fiction or a memoir.
The title, 'The River is Waiting' , serves as a metaphor for the protagonist's journey toward redemption and forgiveness, mirroring the flow of life and the inevitability of change.
Lamb’s first novel in eight years follows Corby Ledbetter, a new father whose marriage is upended after he loses his job and finds himself harboring a secret addiction from his wife, Emily. When Corby is involved in a shocking tragedy, he is sentenced to prison and must adjust to an entirely new life, which is heartbreaking.
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About...
Cory Ledbetter, a commercial artist, is grappling with a difficult phase in his life. He's lost his job and is resorting to alcohol and pills to cope while trying to keep his secret addiction.
He is the husband and father of toddler twins and agrees to be a stay-at-home dad while his wife (a teacher) works, a decision that adds a unique layer of complexity to his life and the story.
But in the haze of alcohol and drugs, there is an unspeakable tragedy, a parent's worst nightmare, an event that involves the loss of a loved one, which will change the trajectory of his life, putting him in prison for the crime.
There, he struggles to survive where he is brutalized, bullied, and traumatized in the worst way possible by evil men (guards) and others, a place where everyone looks the other way. He is so ashamed that he goes deeper into the darkness.
However, while incarcerated, despite the harsh conditions and his trauma, he is met with kindness and compassion by some who show friendship and caring, as well as his mom, who is a massive supporter with her unwavering faith.
Will Cory ever be able to forgive himself as well as the others whom he has disappointed? If only he could redo his mistakes and this horrific tragedy. A past that haunts him day and night, and one he wishes he could change. How do you come back from this?
My thoughts...
Filled with his signature poignant prose, Lamb’s latest is a tale of heartbreak and forgiveness. The author compassionately finds a small glimmer of hope and healing in the darkest of places.
Gut-wrenching, dark, heart-breaking, and emotional, the hauntingly beautiful story tracks Ledbetter's journey from the tragic event that tears his family apart, through the prison, where he witnesses acts of brutality such as physical violence and emotional abuse, and kindness, small acts of compassion, and hope for forgiveness.
Have some Kleenex handy. The author does not shy away from the brutal acts and injustices that occurred.
Compelling and moving, no stranger to prisons, Lamb's work with women in prison for the past 20 years shines through as he features men instead of women in this engrossing tale that could happen to anyone.
The author established a creative writing program at the York Correctional Institution, a women’s correctional facility in Connecticut, where he has volunteered for 20 years. Lamb is also the editor of the essay volumes Couldn’t Keep It Myself and I’ll Fly Away, which are composed of writing from his students.
Immersive, profoundly moving, and thought-provoking, layered with the evil darkness of humanity and strong emotional themes of addiction, art, family, guilt, brutality, COVID, forgiveness, kindness, and redemption, with stunning metaphors, THE RIVER IS WAITING is a masterpiece.
Manny, his last cellmate, and Mrs. Millman, the librarian, are his Godsend (adored them), and the offer to design a prison mural allows Cory to express his thoughts, as a tribute to art and literature that connect us. A place where incarcerated men arrive feeling remorseful, resentful, or defiant, wondering how their lives went so far off track from what they imagined and if they are brave enough to face themselves without losing faith. (loved her speech)
The beauty and thoughtfulness of the mural are spellbinding. This is an unforgettable story (one that will break your heart), and it will linger long after the book ends, as do the characters. One of love, loss, forgiveness, and the choices that shape our lives…a cautionary tale; however, it’s also masterfully crafted while exploring family dynamics, human nature, personal struggles, and the injustices of our prison systems.
If you enjoy books with emotional depth, complex topics, beautiful metaphors, lyrical, thought-provoking art, literature, strong character development, and exploration of challenging themes found in Wally Lamb's novels, this is a must-read.
Recs...
THE RIVER IS WAITING is for fans of the author and those who enjoyed Clare Leslie Hall's Broken Country (another one of my top books of 2025) and works by John Irving, Ron Rash, Allen Eskens, Elizabeth Strout, and Joyce Carol Oates.
Special thanks to Simon Element | S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books for a gifted advanced review copy via NetGalley for my honest thoughts. Truly honored. This is a classic and one for the home library.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: June 10, 2025
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Praise
"An epic tale…[Wally Lamb's] incandescent writing can illuminate even the darkest of stories."
–Oprah Daily
“Lamb sheds light on the inhumanity and cruelty of the American prison system, while also offering glimmers of hope and friendship… There are no simple resolutions in this gripping drama, and Lamb offers plenty to ponder about guilt, innocence, rehabilitation, and forgiveness.” —Booklist
“[A] heart-wrenching story of redemption… Lamb lays bare the vagaries of his protagonist’s life in accessible prose and concludes on a bittersweet note. This will please the author’s fans.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Riveting… Lamb expertly shows [Corby’s] arduous, bumpy progression… a gripping […] story of grief, guilt, and healing.”
—Kirkus
"Wally Lamb has always written with compassion for all of his characters, no matter their flaws. But here, in this moving exploration of an otherwise good man and loving father who happens to be an addict, Lamb goes deeply into what it means not only to survive tragedy, but to actually heal from it by stepping tentatively into real forgiveness. I could not put down The River is Waiting, and I predict that you won't be able to either.”
—Andre Dubus III, New York Times bestselling author of House of Sand and Fog and Ghost Dogs
“A heartwrenching, moving tale about the power of forgiveness, resilience and growth.”
—Woman's World, "12 Most Anticipated Books of 2025"
"I was awestruck by this brilliant novel! I know that “authenticity” isn’t the sexiest takeaway, but on my honor, page after riveting page, I asked myself, “How did he know this? How is this so moving, so real, so close to the bone?” Bravo, Wally Lamb. Not that you needed another masterpiece to demonstrate your unerring eye, ear, and signature heart, but may I say The River is Waiting might crown them all.”
—Elinor Lipman, author of Every Tom, Dick & Harry and Ms. Demeanor
"As usual, Wally Lamb gripped me with his perceptive, page-turning novel, The River Is Waiting, a story that illuminates how the traumas of mass incarceration and addiction stigma spare no one. Lamb delivers what’s most needed in these turbulent times—an absolute empathy bomb."
—Beth Macy, author of Dopesick and Raising Lazarus
"Time and time again, the amazing Wally Lamb’s imperfect people break our hearts and help us understand the unfathomable depths of guilt and grief as we look for light in the world."
—Alice Hoffman, New York Times bestselling author of The Practical Magic series
“The River is Waiting is an ambitious, affecting novel that’s not afraid to look directly at human suffering, and to map out the pain we inflict on others, and on ourselves. With an unflinching eye and an unsentimental compassion for his characters, Wally Lamb finds glimmers of hope and healing and decency in the darkest places."
—Tom Perrotta, New York Times bestselling author of The Leftovers and Little Childre
About the Author
photo credit: Shana Sureck
Wally Lamb is the author of six New York Times bestselling novels: I’ll Take You There, We Are Water, Wishin’ and Hopin’, The Hour I First Believed, I Know This Much Is True, and She’s Come Undone. Lamb also edited Couldn’t Keep It to Myself and I’ll Fly Away, two volumes of essays from students in his writing workshop at York Correctional Institution, a women’s prison in Connecticut, where he was a volunteer facilitator for twenty years. Lamb lives in Connecticut with his wife, Christine, and they have three sons.
