The Lost Album (1995) is both a story of the schism in contemporary American society and a vision of community restoration. The novel brings together the stories of people who, without knowing each other, are all searching for the same thing. But as they tell their stories—like musical variations on themes such as alienation and belonging, unity and diversity—we learn what they are searching for: a mysterious album.

The novel’s climax is a tour de force, a story of the clash between the community of Isaura and the Ozark industrial company that supports and betrays them. Exploring the interplay of ecology and social justice, The Lost Album is comprehensive and inventive—true biodiversity captured in literary form.