The Great Goldbergs

Loosely inspired by stories of my paternal grandfather, my latest novel is about the rise and fall of the shining Goldberg family, as told through the “difficult-to-describe” eyes of a young boy from nearly the wrong side of the tracks.

Dazzled by the bright lives of David Goldberg and his wealthy family, young Sean McFall finds himself pulled into their world. As Sean grows up and becomes further entwined in the destiny of the Goldbergs, he discovers a tyrannical and abusive patriarch, an estranged relative bent on revenge, and dark family secrets.

Struggling to reconcile his first impressions of the rich and powerful Goldberg dynasty with the realities he comes to understand, Sean must determine who he is, what he will stand for, and his relationship to the attraction that has dominated his life.

Praise for The Great Goldbergs

“At the heart of Daniel Goodwin’s third novel is an examination of power… The novel is measured in tone, matching the slow, incremental revelations of deceit, and lending even greater impact to the consequences of Goldberg’s ruthlessness. Daniel Goodwin clearly evokes Shakespeare’s warning to look beneath the surface of all that glitters.”

– Diana Grier Ayton, McGill Alumni News

The Art of Being Lewis

A middle-aged coming-of-age story about the journeys we take to become ourselves …

East Coast architect Lewis Morton thought he had it all: loving wife and children, dream job, and a house that meets his exacting architectural standards. But after his beloved mentor dies in suspicious circumstances and Lewis gets pulled into a lawsuit that threatens to destroy his career and possibly his life, the respectable identity he has carefully constructed for himself after fleeing his unconventional childhood begins to disintegrate. In trying to build his new future he must first come to terms with his past.

Who is Lewis Morton, and who will he choose to become?

The Art of Being Lewis was long-listed for the 2020 Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour and short-listed for the 2020 Nancy Richler Memorial Prize for Fiction.

Praise for The Art of Being Lewis

“A literary page-turner with profound insight into the stories we make our own.”

– Atlantic Books Today

“The novel’s cast of characters is sketched with care, down to the cut of their suit, the confidence expressed in their stance, the set of their expression in an awkward social setting. In its attention to detail The Art of Being Lewis is a contemporary version of the novel of manners by Jane Austen or George Eliot. Goodwin shifts the focus from a female central figure toward male customs, character and behaviour.”

– Norman Raavin, Canadian Jewish News

An “affecting” book that shows how “defining yourself isn’t something you do once and for all in early adulthood, but is an ongoing art.”

– Elizabeth McCausland, Event Magazine

“Daniel Goodwin’s The Art of Being Lewis is a smart, funny and warmhearted novel in the spirit and lineage of Mordecai Richler.”

– David Bezmozgis, author of The Betrayers and Natasha and Other Stories

“Daniel Goodwin’s poetry and novels are always filled with deep insights into the confused state of modern masculinity. The Art of Being Lewis is his best work so far: a sad, hilarious, philosophical novel that blends fine writing and forward momentum. You will think about Lewis, his humiliations and regular triumphs, before falling asleep at night (if you can stop to turn out the light).”

– Todd Babiak, author of Come Barbarians and Son of France

“Imagine if, one fine day, your meticulously structured world fell apart. For Lewis Morton, a successful architect, it’s as if one of his buildings has collapsed over his head, burying in the rubble his sense of purpose and even his sanity. In this insightful, well-crafted and warm-hearted novel, Daniel Goodwin shows us that the materials upon which we build our lives should include the tricky yet essential blend of steel and imagination. This is that essential story of how to build a house that can properly be called a home.”

– David Layton, author of The Dictator

Check out the publisher’s Reader’s Guide.

Sons and Fathers

“A wild, page-turning ride through a harrowing collision of family, friendship, politics, and love.”

– Terry Fallis, author of The Best Laid Plans

When an early-morning phone call from a former childhood friend threatens to derail the political fortunes of a popular PM, his director of communications must dig deep into the past to salvage the present. Part political and literary coming-of-age story, part lyrical meditation on friendship, family, and mortality, Sons and Fathers traces the fortunes of three men who develop their respective ability for manipulating words and people in the long shadows cast by their accomplished fathers.