The Distinguished Guest

A Novel

By: Sue Miller

Narrated by: Laura Copland

“Miller depicts [her characters] with grace and elegance, enriching their perceptions with strands of connecting images and intertwined history.... A very moving book.”—New York Times Book Review

From bestselling author Sue Miller comes the poignant story of a mother and son that touches on the deepest concerns about love, art, family, and life.

Lily Maynard is proud, chilly, difficult, and has become a famous writer at age seventy-two. Now, stricken with Parkinson's disease and staying with her architect son Alan, Lily must cope with her fading powers as well as with disturbing memories of the events that estranged her from her children and ended her marriage. For Alan, her visit raises old questions about his relationship with her, about the choices he has made in his own life, and about the nature of love, disappointment, and grief.

Profound and deeply affecting, The Distinguished Guest reveals a family trying to understand the meaning of its life together, while confronting inevitable loss and the vision of an immeasurably altered future.

©2016 Sue Miller (P)2020 HarperAudio

A timeless classic... I've read this several times

At different times of my life I've read and reread this and it means something different every time. I love it every time I read it...

15 out of 15 stars!

Sue Miller's novels have always been a good fit for me because she explores and defines a layered reality, giving the reader something that's not just a story. She brings location and weather, life circumstances, introspection, emotional intimacy, approachable characters with flaws as well as assets. What's not to like?

Her novels are busy living "their best lives" and I will always download one of her novels without even listening to a sample. She is just that good, and I'd venture to say that when I encounter new Sue Miller novel I'm instantly on board, sight unseen. But of course, she has to actually write it and I get to read it.When the tennis champion Roger Federer, is named by a commentator, as a towering figure amongst the other players, and amongst humans in general because of his detached poise and awards Federer the GOAT prize, i.e. "greatest of all time",

But then this is followed by the statement "but he'll have to play the match anyway."

In the work of Sue Miller, I frequently encounter characters and their inner lives that resonate, and this novel is no exception, Commonalities are combined with brilliantly detailed and sensitive writing and are a resource to which I return frequently, like the experience of one of the other reviewers.

Her works are gifts that keep on giving, and I wait for her next novel anticipate her next novel, even if that means a long wait, Miller's body of work can be mined repeatedly for connection and insight and each reading reveals a different emotional landscape. I wonder if this is a litmus test for literary value, with multi-dimensional characters and their lives, that keep on giving.

People who never consider reading a particular novel a second or third time, because they've "already read that" and they have no idea what they are missing.

exquisite

gorgeous writing, beautifully performed.
Subtle, observant, just a really incredible, rare book.
I especially loved the description of Parkinsons, and both the anger and sorrow of Alan, the son.

Not my favorite Sue Miller novel

I am a huge fan of Sue Miller and have read many of her novels, but this one left me disappointed. Her writing is excellent as usual, and her insight into her characters' heart, soul and inner conflicts is masterful, Overall, I felt this book lacked drama. There was not much build-up to the story, nor real climax or denouement. It felt more like an observation of ordinary life. The narrator did an excellent job with the characters' dialogue, but when she just narrated without dialogue, her voice was not pleasant to my ear. I don't regret reading it but would not recommend it to someone who was reading Sue Miller for the first time as they may not want to try another book.

Not a fan

I could not connect to any of these characters and the story struggled to keep my attention.