Some books resonate more deeply than others; they don’t merely reflect the world we’re presented with, but instead they refashioned it, even warp it, revealing essential truths. Ball’s poignant dedication to his late older brother Adam, who had Down syndrome, adds yet another layer of complexity to this surreal and powerful story. Census examines the relationship between a father and son. When the father receives news that he hasn’t long to live, he decides to become a census taker—an occupation that gives the two of them a reason to crisscross the Northern counties together on a bonding Odyssey of sorts. Part of the father’s job as a census taker is to count and mark the people they encounter along the way with a small tattoo on one rib. This rudimentary process lends an apocalyptic air to the novel that’s simultaneously grounded by the most enduring theme of familial love.
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