In 1910 Sabé Parella makes the journey from northern Italy to southern Colorado to join her husband who had gone ahead to work in the coal mines. But when Sabé arrives along the banks of the Purgatoire River, he is nowhere to be found. 

“PURGATOIRE is an examination of hope, secrets, and the relentless forces of human nature. Prato writes with the magic touch, incorporating both the real and the fabulist into one aching, beautiful novel."  — Rene Denfeld, bestselling author of The Child Finder and The Enchanted. 

 “Liz Prato brings the reader into the hearts and minds of generations of characters, revealing their secrets, their wishes, their regrets, and their inheritances with masterly poise.  A vivid and engaging saga."  — Shawn Levy, author of Dolce Vita Confidential, and Clint: The Man and the Movies

“ A deeply American story, Purgatoire is as compelling as it is heartfelt.” —Wendy J. Fox, winner of the Colorado Book Award and author of The Last Supper

April 7, 2026

Forthcoming from Forest Avenue Press
Distributed by Publishers Group West

LIZ PRATO is the author of Kids in America: A Gen X Reckoning; Volcanoes, Palm Trees, and Privilege: Essays on Hawai‘i, a  New York Times Top Summer Read and a Finalist for the Oregon Book Award; and the short story collection, Baby’s on Fire.  Her novel in stories, Purgatoire, is coming out in Spring 2026 from Forest Avenue Press.

Liz loves visiting book clubs, teaching, and speaking to groups (virtual and in-person). To book Liz for an appearance, please fill out the contact form HERE

“Searching, wise, intimate and illuminating, Liz Prato’s Volcanoes, Palm Trees, and Privilege is a complicated love letter to a place, and powerful reckoning of a life. I was moved and astonished by this beautiful book. —CHERYL STRAYED, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things


"A dazzling exploration into how cultures and identities criss-cross each other, Liz Prato's Kids in America traces how Gen X emerged from the fire and fury of a nation falling to pieces.” —LIDIA YUKNAVITCH, author of Thrust and The Chronology of Water