<DIV>For <b>William Kennedy</b> fans, Albany conjures up a tapestry of great beauty and complexity in which the lives of an Irish American family are woven. Earlier Albany novels, including <b>Ironweed</b>, a Pulitzer Prize-winner, whetted our appetites. Now <b>Very Old Bones</b> treats us to one last look at the odd and turbulent Phelans, circa 1958. Stretching the boundaries of life as the Phelans know it, this powerful work flows back and forth in time, riding on the melody of its language. Its great theme is the promise of redemption for those who seek it. </div>