Peter and Rebecca Harris: mid-forties denizens of Manhattan's SoHo, nearing the apogee of committed careers in the arts he a dealer, she an editor. With a spacious loft, a college-age daughter in Boston, and lively friends, they are admirable, enviable contemporary urbanites with every reason, it seems, to be happy. Then Rebecca's much younger look-alike brother, Ethan (known in the family as Mizzy, "the mistake"), shows up for a visit. A beautiful, beguiling twenty-three-year-old with a history of drug problems, Mizzy is wayward, at loose ends, looking for direction. And in his presence, Peter finds himself questioning his artists, their work, his career the entire world he has so carefully constructed. Like his legendary, Pulitzer Prizewinning novel, The Hours, Michael Cunningham's masterly new novel is a heartbreaking look at the way we live now. Full of shocks and aftershocks, it makes us think and feel deeply about the uses and meaning of beauty and the place of love in our lives.

By Nightfall is a captivating novel written by Michael Cunningham. This thought-provoking book explores themes of love, desire, and identity. Set in the art world of New York City, the story follows the protagonist as he navigates through a complex web of relationships and self-discovery. With its beautiful prose and compelling characters, By Nightfall is a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction.