An irresistible debut novel about love, loss, memory and unlikely friendship, for fans of Nick Hornby, Mark Haddon and Maria Semple.

Endearing and wise . . . I adored the unlikely friendship between a gifted child who remembers everything and a grieving man who is trying to forget. Emmich brings a compassionate, often comical, and always true eye to his storytelling. Ten-year-old Joan says a good song should either make you want to dance or cry, and The Reminders does both' -- Eowyn Ivey, bestselling author of The Snow Child Val Emmich has created an indelible cast of complex and quirky characters who drew me in for an emotional and humorous ride . . . A book brimming with heart and soul - you really must read it! -- Garth Stein, bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain In a story that is both startlingly original and deeply familiar, I could not stop reading, and was bereft when the story ended. -- Jacquelyn Mitchard, bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean

Val Emmich is truly a man of varied talents. As an actor, he's had recurring roles on HBO's Vinyl (produced by Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger), Showtime's The Big C, ABC's Ugly Betty, and a memorable guest role as Tina Fey's coffee-boy fling, Jamie, on NBC's 30 Rock. He was the lead in the feature film Fighting Fish and has appeared in dozens of commercials. Emmich is also an award-winning recording artist who's released a dozen albums and toured the U.S. several times over. The Star-Ledger called him "one of the finest songwriters in the Garden State, [and] also one of the most prolific."