I Am Clarence

I Am Clarence

A Novel

About the Book

A haunting novel exploring a mother’s fierce love for her disabled son as she grapples with her own mental health, by the author of the feminist cult classic The Princess of 72nd Street—with an introduction by Sarah Manguso

“Elaine Kraf is one of literature’s hidden gems. Her work demands a place on your bookshelf right next to Plath and Ditlevsen.”Sarah Rose Etter, author of Ripe

According to Dr. Hovenclock, health meant wanting things. What would I have to pretend to want before he would let me leave? I longed to return to Clarence.

For Clarence’s mother, life revolves around her young son; she takes him to see specialists to find the cause of his blindness and developmental delays, protects him from the cruelty of other children, and loves him tenderly. But she has her own struggles too. Her sanity is precarious and fractured, making caregiving increasingly difficult for her.

When her mental health reaches a breaking point, she checks herself into an institution so that she can get better and, she tells herself, be a better mother to Clarence. As she is forced to decide between his well-being and her own, the reader is faced with these essential questions: Can a mother’s love for her child surmount her own emotional upheaval? How much can she sacrifice for her son and survive?

Through this unforgettable journey into one woman’s mind and relationships, Kraf paints a harrowing portrait of motherhood, which remains timely and inventive more than fifty years after its initial publication.
Read more
Close

Modern Library Torchbearers Series

Plum Bun
The House of Madelaine
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
I Am Clarence
Lolly Willowes
The Princess of 72nd Street
Quicksand
Regiment of Women
The Goodness of St. Rocque
A Daughter of the Samurai
View more

About the Author

Elaine Kraf
Elaine Kraf (1936-2013) was a writer and painter. She was the author of four published works of fiction: I Am Clarence (1969), The House of Madelaine (1971), Find Him! (1977), and The Princess of 72nd Street (1979)—as well as several unpublished novels, plays, and poetry collections. She was the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts awards, a 1971 fellowship at the Broad Loaf Writers’ Conference, and a 1977 residency at Yaddo. She was born and lived in New York City. More by Elaine Kraf
Decorative Carat

About the Author

Sarah Manguso
Sarah Manguso is the author of nine books, most recently the novels Liars and Very Cold People. Her other books include a story collection, two poetry collections, and several acclaimed works of nonfiction. Her work has been recognized by an American Academy of Arts and Letters Literature Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Hodder Fellowship, and the Rome Prize. She lives in Los Angeles. More by Sarah Manguso
Decorative Carat

By clicking submit, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime.

Random House Publishing Group