Second Best

"Heartbreaking."

"Pulls no punches."

Book of the movie, 'Second Best' starring William Hurt.

As adoption stories go this powerful novel about a crippling relationship between father and son is one of the most heartbreaking books you're likely to read. There are few depths of despair as deep as when family life is torn apart by dysfunctional relationships.

'A son.' These two words, absent-mindedly added to a shopping list, will change the life of Graham Holt, a village sub-postmaster caring for his invalid father. For so many years he as stood behind a reinforced screen, selling stamps and knitting-patterns, but now he has accepted that those two words express what he wants.
Graham needs a son; James Lennards, ten, needs a father, and thinks he knows what father he needs -- his own, a soldier of fortune languishing in prison. To James, Graham is definitely second best. To Graham, James seems always to be several steps ahead. Which of these two is the father, which the son?