This beautiful softcover edition is in near fine condition, with no marks or tears and only minimal shelf wear. The pages are crisp and unmarked, and the book remains tight, square, and well-preserved. Charming Billy by Alice McDermott is a novel that won the National Book Award for Fiction in 1998. It's a poignant, richly crafted story that delves into themes of love, loss, family, and the destructive nature of addiction.