The Other Side

A darkly gripping portrait of an Irish-American family

A multi-generational novel set over the course of a day, The Other Side centers on the journey of Vincent and Ellen MacNamara. Married for sixty-six years, the two have seen their share of hardships: emigration from Ireland to America; the bitter disappointments handed down to their children and grandchildren; and, most recently, setbacks to their health.


In The Other Side, Vincent returns from a period of convalescence in a nursing home after Ellen, disoriented from a stroke, had pushed him to the ground, injuring him. As family members assemble, the incident becomes a nexus for the anger, anguish, and misunderstandings that have simmered for decades.


As frankly observed as it is compassionately imagined, The Other Side is one of Gordon's finest novels.