≡ Libro Free They Came Like Swallows Panther William Maxwell 9781860469282 Books

They Came Like Swallows Panther William Maxwell 9781860469282 Books

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They Came Like Swallows Panther William Maxwell 9781860469282 Books

Forty-three years separate THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS (written in 1937) and "So Long, See You Tomorrow" (1980), which is probably William Maxwell's most-read and highly regarded novel. But it would be understandable were a reader to think they had been written much closer in time to one another. They both involve a small-town family in Illinois in which the mother dies from influenza during the pandemic of 1918. And they have much the same tender, somber, elegiac quality. Moreover, both are exquisitely crafted. I was deeply moved by "So Long, See You Tomorrow". I am also moved by THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS.

The novel takes place in November and December 1918. The story consists of three parts, each of which is told from the perspective of a different male of the Morison family -- first eight-year-old Bunny, a hyper-sensitive lad; then thirteen-year-old Robert, a more active "all-American" boy, who carries on with hardly a trace of handicap even though he lost one leg above the knee in a childhood accident; and last, the father James. All three accounts center on Elizabeth, mother of Bunny and Robert, wife of James, and the emotional and psychological lodestone of the family. But Elizabeth dies, shortly after having given birth to a baby boy, and it seems as though the family will disintegrate with grief. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, love and family ties begin to assert themselves and the novel ends with a few rays of hope.

As with "So Long, See You Tomorrow", there is an autobiographical foundation to THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS. William Maxwell was born in small-town Illinois, and in 1918 his mother died of influenza after giving birth to a younger brother. At the center of "So Long, See You Tomorrow" is the boy left behind (presumably, William Maxwell). At the center of THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS is the woman who died (a portrait of Maxwell's mother?).

The title is borrowed from "Coole Park, 1929", a poem by William Butler Yeats. Maxwell uses an excerpt from that poem as the epigraph for the novel. The epigraph begins, "They came like swallows", and the fourth and fifth lines read: "And half a dozen in formation there, / That seemed to whirl upon a compass-point". Surely Elizabeth Morison is that compass-point.


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They Came Like Swallows Panther William Maxwell 9781860469282 Books Reviews

You can feel it coming, the death that is central to the book, and yet you still want to read towards it, get lost in the prose so that when the death finally does arrives, the language does exactly what great literature always does -- terrifies you, comforts you and exalts you.

I love this book with a passion. Full of wit and the keenest of observation, this book is, to its very core, beautiful and kind.
If you are aware of the genius of Maxwell, you will love this masterpiece. If not read this, as well as read So Long, See You Tomorrow.
An interesting juxtaposition, with the novelist writing this now historical novel in the time frame in which it was set. It thus carried a powerful authenticity. I would have liked the author to expand on the very different view of the older brother as seen through Bunny's eyes compared to his own perspective. This and a few other more contemporary editorial direction might have improved pacing for those who "couldn't just get into the story."
As is usual for me, after reading this book I took a look at some of the reviews. Certain words come back again and again "gentle", "touching", "poignant", "restrained", "understated". In that sense, I don't have very much to add besides yes. yes, yes, yes and yes again.

I guess that it could be argued that the book is a little bit slight, but at the time of reading it was a very emotional experience for me. Maxwell details the intense claustrophobic relationship between mother and children in a real and painful way. Saying that it was moving isn't quite enough for me, but I'm going to have to let it suffice.

I read They Came Like Swallows based on a recommendation. I won't hesitate to read other works by Maxwell. Any suggestions?
Words fail me when it comes to describing this exquisitely rendered little novel first published over seventy years ago. Two boys, eight and thirteen, lose a mother; a husband a wife, sisters a sister. This is perhaps the most delicately described story of pain, loss and relationships I have encountered in many years. The sense of time and place, of a small town in Illinois in 1918, the year of the horrific Spanish influenza epidemic, is so real you can lose yourself as if the ensuing seventy-plus years had never happened. Like Maxwell's other book I have reviewed here, The Folded Leaf, this book - They Came Like Swallows - is simply beautiful. A masterpiece. - Tim Bazzett, author of LOVE, WAR & POLIO
This novel is the autobiographical story of the author's childhood years growing up during the early 20th century, and is a snapshot portrait of the dynamics of his family. The author as "Bunny" is profiled in the first third of the book, followed by his older brother Robert, and lastly their father, all portrayed during a time of crisis in the family. The story is poignant, the writing is lyrical, and the characters are memorable. This would be an excellent choice for a book club. Don't be put off by the awful cover picture of a sullen and scowling child. If the publisher were trying to sabotage sales, they could hardly have picked a better turn-off.
This is the second book that I have read by William Maxwell and I have to say that I simply love his writing. If you have read and liked books such as "Stoner" and "Mrs. Bridge", then his books may be worth looking into. These are books that are more about the beautiful and elegant prose, rather than being plot-driven. They are all books that are subtle and simply remain with you.
The story here is about a family during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1918.
Forty-three years separate THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS (written in 1937) and "So Long, See You Tomorrow" (1980), which is probably William Maxwell's most-read and highly regarded novel. But it would be understandable were a reader to think they had been written much closer in time to one another. They both involve a small-town family in Illinois in which the mother dies from influenza during the pandemic of 1918. And they have much the same tender, somber, elegiac quality. Moreover, both are exquisitely crafted. I was deeply moved by "So Long, See You Tomorrow". I am also moved by THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS.

The novel takes place in November and December 1918. The story consists of three parts, each of which is told from the perspective of a different male of the Morison family -- first eight-year-old Bunny, a hyper-sensitive lad; then thirteen-year-old Robert, a more active "all-American" boy, who carries on with hardly a trace of handicap even though he lost one leg above the knee in a childhood accident; and last, the father James. All three accounts center on Elizabeth, mother of Bunny and Robert, wife of James, and the emotional and psychological lodestone of the family. But Elizabeth dies, shortly after having given birth to a baby boy, and it seems as though the family will disintegrate with grief. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, love and family ties begin to assert themselves and the novel ends with a few rays of hope.

As with "So Long, See You Tomorrow", there is an autobiographical foundation to THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS. William Maxwell was born in small-town Illinois, and in 1918 his mother died of influenza after giving birth to a younger brother. At the center of "So Long, See You Tomorrow" is the boy left behind (presumably, William Maxwell). At the center of THEY CAME LIKE SWALLOWS is the woman who died (a portrait of Maxwell's mother?).

The title is borrowed from "Coole Park, 1929", a poem by William Butler Yeats. Maxwell uses an excerpt from that poem as the epigraph for the novel. The epigraph begins, "They came like swallows", and the fourth and fifth lines read "And half a dozen in formation there, / That seemed to whirl upon a compass-point". Surely Elizabeth Morison is that compass-point.