They Came Like Swallows
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4.1 • 32 Ratings
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
From the National Book Award-winning author of So Long, See You Tomorrow—the heartbreaking story of an ordinary American family overtaken by the devastating flu epidemic of 1918.
"William Maxwell is one of the past half-century's unmistakably great novelists." ―Village Voice
To eight-year old Bunny Morison, his mother is an angelic comforter in whose absence nothing is real or alive. To his older brother, Robert, his mother is someone he must protect, especially since the deadly, influenza epidemic of 1918 is ravaging their small Midwestern town. To James Morison, his wife, Elizabeth, is the center of a life that would disintegrate all too suddenly were she to disappear.
Through the eyes of these characters, William Maxwell creates a sensitive portrait of an American family and of the complex woman who is its emotional pillar. Beautifully observed, deftly rendering the civilities and constraints of a vanished era, They Came Like Swallows measures the subterranean currents of love and need that run through all our lives. The result confirms Maxwell's reputation as one of the finest writers we have.
Customer Reviews
A Pandemic’s Shadow
This is a simple, beautifully written story about a family affected by the Spanish Influenza pandemic in 1918. The war is ending and the pandemic is spreading. Maxwell writes sections of the book about three of the four family members: the two kids and the father. Through it is the presence of “Bess,” the mother, who is the family’s center.
They came like swallows
Absolutely excellent, a must read during Covid19 . A little piece of history. Read and you shall be enthralled and more at peace.