Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse
Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse by Faith Sullivan is a reprint edition published by Milkweed Editions in July 2016. This 456-page novel is set in Harvester, Minnesota, and chronicles the life of Nell Stillman, who faces the challenges of being a single mother in the early twentieth century after the death of her husband. As she navigates her new reality, Nell finds solace in her friendships and the novels that inspire her, illustrating the resilience of women in small-town America.
Readers will discover Nell’s journey as she builds a community around her, teaching at the local school and volunteering at the library. The narrative highlights her relationships with various townspeople, including John Flynn, a congressman who becomes a father figure to her son, and her interactions with girls like Arlene and Lark Erhardt. Good Night, Mr. Wodehouse emphasizes the transformative power of reading and the strength found in friendship, making it a poignant exploration of life, love, and perseverance in a rural setting.
Official synopsis Publisher
“More than forty years of history bookend a lifelong love affair with reading for the resilient heroine of [this] novel set in Harvester, Minnesota.” –Kirkus Reviews
A Wall Street Journal Top 10 Book of the Year
When Nell Stillman’s boorish husband dies soon after they move to the small town of Harvester, Minnesota, Nell is alone, penniless yet responsible for her beloved baby boy, Hillyard. Not an easy fate in small-town America at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In the face of nearly insurmountable odds, Nell finds strength in lasting friendships and in the rich inner life awakened by the novels she reads. She falls in love with John Flynn, a charming congressman who becomes a father figure for Hillyard. She teaches at the local school and volunteers at the public library, where she meets Stella Wheeler and her charismatic daughter Sally. She becomes a friend and confidant to many of the girls in town, including Arlene and Lark Erhardt. And no matter how difficult her day, Nell ends each evening with a beloved book, in this novel that celebrates the strength and resourcefulness of independent women, the importance of community, and the transformative power of reading.
“Sullivan describes small-town life through the eyes of an intelligent, generous narrator who fights off gossip, pettiness and tragedy with compassion, perseverance and forgiveness. Who wouldn’t want to spend a late-summer afternoon or two in the company of such a person?” –Minneapolis Star-Tribune
“Her novels are a reliably inviting world, full of friendly faces and intimate dramas. However you first make your way to Harvester, you’ll want to return.” –The Wall Street Journal
“[An] inspiring novel, which should find its way onto the reading lists of book clubs.” –Publishers Weekly
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