Description
Mary Gordon’s 1989 novel chronicles twenty-four hours in the life of the MacNamara family as they gather at the deathbed of their matriarch, Ellen. Spanning generations, the narrative shifts between the perspectives of children, grandchildren, and Ellen’s husband, Vincent. As they congregate in the family’s long-held Queens home, old grievances and complex legacies surface. The story meticulously reconstructs the family’s Irish-American history, tracing their journey from immigrant beginnings to their current, fragmented reality.







