Maxwell's semi-autobiographical novel is told in three parts from the perspective of two young sons and a husband who lose their mother and wife to the 1918 Spanish flu. It's a moving work, full of vignettes of the objects and home that make up a domestic life in the Midwest, and heart-wrenching in its eventual portrayal of loss from an epidemic. Here, we shed the tears so you don't have to and explore the the parallels to today's moment, as well as examine Maxwell's life and career as a longtime editor for the New Yorker. An episode of extraordinary writing and thoughtful analysis by John Updike and Brendan Gill.The Eastern Sierra Book Festival we mention (Kendra Atleework's interview begins at the 1 hour 10 minute mark:https://www.facebook.com/EasternSierraBookFestival/videos/1491816557686727/Thoughts? Comments? Potshots? Contact the show at:https://www.discreetguide.com/Follow or like us on podomatic.com (it raises our visibility :)https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/deardiscreetguideSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/discreetguideFollow the host on Twitter:@DiscreetGuideThe host on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferkcrittenden/

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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