They Came Like Swallows

By: William Maxwell

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith

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.

©1937; 1964 Harper & Brothers; William Maxwell (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

Helplessness, kindness and wisdom

The setting, the telling from each child’s perspective came across as natural. So too did the pain of dealing with a pandemic and with death.
It brought back realities and sentiments I experienced growing up.
It’s a beautiful narrative.
It helped me ease my concerns about what each of my teenage grandchildren might have to face given the dangerous times we are facing

As good as NYT book review podcast promised

William Maxwell was a long-time editor at the New Yorker magazine. He wrote novels too and this one is magnificent. Spare yet powerful. I could see the people, the town, the relationships. The Spanish flu epidemic plays a big role and that was particularly resonant for me given the seemingly endless epidemic we are living through.

Touching story

Very emotional and touching story of a family from three perspectives. Very relevant for today.

A timely reflection.

As we all get the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with human nature while going through this pandemic, it is good to see how we handled things before with less in our emotional and scientific toolbox. A good lesson, whatever the take-away.

Terrific to listen to!

This is a really wonderful novel. The story is so moving and the narration was excellent. The narrator really makes the characters come alive.

Memory from a pandemic past

I probably would have had a hard time completing this book in written form. It seemed disjointed at first but as the story came together and the people and place became more familiar it captured my interest. I wonder if there were other stories woven out if that pandemic and if there might be stories to relate our current pandemic to future generations.