Published by Viking Press in June 2005, the novel garnered great interest via word of mouth in the summer of 2006 and placed on the New York Times Paperback Bestsellers List.

In early March 1964, Dr. David Henry is forced to deliver his wife Norah's twins with the help of a nurse, Caroline Gill.

David, recalling the possibility of a heart defect and early death (which his younger sister June had had, dying at the young age of 12) and decides that the baby girl will be placed in an institution.

Meanwhile, Caroline begins working for Dorothy "Doro" March as a private nurse for her father, Leo.

Meanwhile, Al, the truck driver who assisted Caroline on the night of Phoebe's birth, discovers her whereabouts.

He immerses himself in his work and basically leaves the family, only coming back into their lives to complain about Paul.

In Pittsburgh, Phoebe is growing up a healthy child despite David's negative predictions at her birth about her mental disabilities.

Norah simply wants her son to be happy, while David pushes Paul to follow a career path that will guarantee stability, money, and success.

While on vacation in Aruba, Norah has a love affair with Howard, who is also married with children at home.

Norah and David are divorced and Paul is traveling and studying music in France with his girlfriend.

The film's cast includes Dermot Mulroney as David, Gretchen Mol as Norah, and Emily Watson as Caroline.

[2] The movie eliminates the characters of Doro, her father Leo, Rosemary and her son Jack.