Patrick Ryan

Buckeye by Patrick Ryan (released September 2, 2025) is a sweeping, multi-generational American saga that has become a breakout literary hit, notably featured as a “Read with Jenna” Book Club Pick. It has been praised by everyone from Ann Patchett to Tom Hanks for its lyrical prose and profound emotional depth.

The Plot

Set in the fictional small town of Bonhomie, Ohio, the story spans sixty years, from the 1920s to the 1980s. The narrative is anchored by two families whose lives become inextricably linked by a single, impulsive moment.

On V-E Day in 1945, amidst the celebratory chaos of the Allied victory, two strangers share a stolen kiss in a hardware store. Those strangers are Cal Jenkins—a man born with one leg shorter than the other, leaving him with a deep-seated shame for being unable to serve in WWII—and Margaret Salt, a woman desperately trying to outrun a traumatic past.

The story follows the ripple effects of that encounter through the decades:

• The Spouses: Cal’s wife, Becky, is a genuine spiritualist who can communicate with the dead, while Margaret’s husband, Felix, is a closeted man trying to maintain the facade of a traditional 1950s life.


• The Next Generation: The children of both families, Skip and Tom, grow up as kindred spirits, eventually facing their own trials as the country shifts toward the Vietnam War.

Key Appeal Notes

• The “Midwestern Epic”: Ryan is being compared to authors like John Irving and Richard Russo for his ability to turn small-town domesticity into a grand, historical epic.


• The Mystical Element: Becky’s ability to speak to the dead is treated with a “matter-of-fact” realism that adds a layer of magical realism to an otherwise grounded historical novel.


• Themes of Forgiveness: The book focuses heavily on how long-held secrets and “sins of omission” can be repaired through a slow, difficult process of grace.


• The War Shadow: The book covers the “two wars”—the legacy of WWII and the arrival of Vietnam—exploring how the military industrial complex shapes American manhood and family structures.

Why it’s Trending

• The “Tom Hanks” Endorsement: Hanks’ vocal support for the book’s “soaring” connection between generations has kept it at the top of bestseller lists into 2026.


• Historical Nostalgia: It captures the “vanished America” of the mid-20th century with meticulous detail, making it a favorite for readers who enjoy Ann Napolitano’s Hello Beautiful or Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water.


• Book Club Gold: With its heavy themes of closeted sexuality, infidelity, and the burden of secrets, it is designed for deep discussion.