Discover William Maxwell's classic, heart-breaking portrait of an ordinary American family struck by the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic 'A story of such engaging warmth that it would thaw the heart of any critic... Will melt many a reader to tears' TIME Elizabeth Morison is an ordinary woman. Yet, to eight-year-old Bunny, his mother is the centre of his universe. To Robert, her elder son, she is someone he must protect against the dangers of the outside world. And to her husband, James, she is the foundation on which his family ... Read More
Discover William Maxwell's classic, heart-breaking portrait of an ordinary American family struck by the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic 'A story of such engaging warmth that it would thaw the heart of any critic... Will melt many a reader to tears' TIME Elizabeth Morison is an ordinary woman. Yet, to eight-year-old Bunny, his mother is the centre of his universe. To Robert, her elder son, she is someone he must protect against the dangers of the outside world. And to her husband, James, she is the foundation on which his family rests and life without her is unimaginable. As the dark winter of 1918 dawns and the shadow of Spanish flu starts to disturb day-to-day life, a moving portrait of Elizabeth takes shape, set against the lives and fate of the Morison family. 'As you read They Came Like Swallows, you catch yourself from time to time being astonished at how tightly you're gripping the pages... There isn't a word that has dated. It could have been written yesterday, or tomorrow' Nicholas Lezard, Guardian Read Less
Add this copy of They Came Like Swallows to cart. $6.58, good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2000 by The Harvill Press.
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Add this copy of They Came Like Swallows to cart. $9.06, good condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1997 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
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Good. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 192 p. Vintage International. May show signs of wear, highlighting, writing, and previous use. This item may be a former library book with typical markings. No guarantee on products that contain supplements Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Twenty-five year bookseller with shipments to over fifty million happy customers.
Add this copy of They Came Like Swallows to cart. $11.02, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2001 by The Harvill Press.
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PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT SHIP TO DENMARK. New Book. Shipped from UK in 4 to 14 days. Established seller since 2000. Please note we cannot offer an expedited shipping service from the UK.
Add this copy of They Came Like Swallows to cart. $11.76, new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2001 by The Harvill Press.
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New. B-format paperback. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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New. 2001. paperback. Elizabeth Morison is an ordinary woman. Yet to eight-year-old Bunny, his mother is the centre of his universe. To his older brother, Robert, she is someone he must protect against the dangers of the outside world. And to James Morison, his wife is the foundation on which his family rests and life without her is unimaginable. Num Pages: 160 pages. BIC Classification: FA. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 202 x 151 x 12. Weight in Grams: 158......We ship daily from our Bookshop.
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Add this copy of They Came Like Swallows to cart. $16.56, like new condition, Sold by GreatBookPricesUK5 rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Castle Donington, DERBYSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 1997 by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.
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Fine. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 192 p. Vintage International. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
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Add this copy of They Came Like Swallows to cart. $8.53, good condition, Sold by Giant Giant rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Reston, VA, UNITED STATES, published 1997 by Vintage.
Beautifully understated. Wonderfully sparse prose. No wasted words. Plenty of space for you to climb in and experience the atmosphere. Never before has a story from the perspective of a child been told better.
My Grandfather was the only survivor of a family of seven when the flu pandemic of 1918 struck. If you share a similar experience, all the more reason you should read this book.
Few know of Maxwell today. If you love the written word, be one of the few.
cokycola
Dec 24, 2009
An understated gem
William Maxwell's work has long been recognized for its clarity and grace, even if his reputation has been less than that of more popular authors on the world stage. His books are introspective and normally quiet pieces, filled with a deep understanding of human nature and a sure eye for detail. This book captures the innocence of childhood and the pain of loss in beautiful prose. While Maxwell's style partakes of some modern techniques of flashback and shifting narrative points of view, its clarity is never in question. No reader will fail to be moved by his work, with passages that evoke tears - both from the sadness of the material and the moments of humor that inevitably come through in portraying a very real, and very human, family. 'They Came Like Swallows' is an excellent introduction to Maxwell's work. Readers who enjoy it should also try 'The Chateau,' which is very different in setting, and offers a great deal of subtle humor, as well as 'Ancestors,' which is almost symphonic in its composition, skillfully weaving family and national history. Maxwell's reputation will surely grow in the eyes of critics in years to come, who will place him in the first rank of American authors.
