The Widow's Children: A Novel

By Paula Fox

"Chekhovian. . . . each line of Fox's tale, each gesture of her characters, is alive and surprising."—Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, New York Times

at the eve in their journey to Africa, Laura Maldonada Clapper and her husband, Desmond, take a seat in a brand new York urban inn room, consuming scotch-and-sodas and expecting the arriving of 3 acquaintances: Clara Hansen, Laura's timid, brow-beaten daughter from a prior marriage; Carlos, Laura's flamboyant and fascinating brother; and Peter Rice, a depression editor whom Laura hasn't visible for over a 12 months. yet what starts off as a bon voyage celebration quickly parlays right into a sour, claustrophobic conflict of family members resentment. From the lodge room to the tony eating place to which the 5 embark, Laura presides over the escalating innuendo and hostility with imperial cruelty, for she is hiding the data that her mom, the relatives matriarch, has died of a center assault that morning. a singular as extreme because it is unerringly saw, The Widow's Children is one other revelation of the storyteller's paintings from the incomparable Paula Fox.

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How does Paula Fox illustrate the expression of emotion? in keeping with your examining of The Widow’s young ones, is restraint a good caliber or a damaging one? In a hugely favorable evaluate of The Widow’s youngsters, Peter S. Prescott wrote in Newsweek that whereas he vastly well-known Paula Fox’s paintings, he was once no longer constantly definite he cherished it. are you able to reflect on examples from The Widow’s young children which would clarify this seeming paradox? compliment for Paula Fox’s determined Characters “Desperate Characters merits a moment coming greater than such a lot books. …Fox’s prose hurts. It’s written at the nerves. ” —Walter Kirn, long island journal “A towering landmark of postwar realism…. A sustained paintings of prose so lucid and wonderful that it sort of feels much less written than carved. ” —David Foster Wallace “One of the few novels I’ve relatively actually saved close to me through the years, to reread regularly…. It’s exciting to determine her booklet made to be had back. ” —Rosellen Brown “Using a cruel camera’s-eye kind, Paula Fox…spreads difficulties earlier than the reader and makes no recommendation…. The skillful insistency with which pass over Fox probes her characters’ lives holds one’s consciousness. ” —Peter Rowley, big apple occasions publication overview “Desperate Characters takes its position in a big American culture, the road of the quick novel exemplified by means of Billy Budd, the good Gatsby, pass over Lonelyhearts, and grab the Day…. Grueling and amazing. ” —Irving Howe, the hot Republic on hand in Norton Paperback Fiction Aharon Appelfeld Katerina Andrea Barrett send Fever The Voyage of the Narwhal Rick Bass The Watch Simone de Beauvoir The Mandarins She got here to stick Wendy Brenner huge Animals in lifestyle Anthony Burgess A Clockwork Orange not anything just like the sunlight The in need of Seed Stephen Dobyns The Wrestler’s merciless examine Leslie Epstein King of the Jews Mary Flanagan The Blue girl Montserrat Fontes First Confession goals of the Centaur Leon Forrest Divine Days Paula Fox determined Characters Jonathan Franzen robust movement Carol De Chellis Hill 11 Million Mile excessive Dancer Henry James’ middle of the night music Let’s Fall in Love Janette Turner clinic Dislocations Oyster Siri Hustvedt The Blindfold Starling Lawrence Legacies Bernard MacLaverty Cal Grace Notes Lamb strolling the puppy Alyce Miller the character of Longing Bradford Morrow The Almanac department John Nichols A Ghost within the tune The Sterile Cuckoo The Wizard of Loneliness Craig Nova The common Donor Jean Rhys stable Morning dead night After Leaving Mr.

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