The Magpie
Gelesen von Atul Sharma
Douglas Durkin
In the aftermath of World War I, even the victors are rocked by social upheaval, as returning soldiers expect a reward for their war-time sacrifices, and women grieve for their lost husbands and sons. General strikes rock Paris, Lyon, Brussels, Glasgow, San Francisco, and even quiet Winnipeg on the Canadian prairies.
[i]The Magpie[\i] is set during the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, as Captain Craig Forrester returns home from war, to a city and a country in the throes of civil unrest. Both a social commentary and a novel about post-war disillusionment, author Douglas Durkin (1884-1967) examines the greed, hypocrisy, and narrow-mindedness of the “decent” classes seeking to restore the pre-war [i]status quo ante[\i]. Secondary themes include the redemptive power of art and the role of women in post-war society.
- Summary by ASharma (9 hr 8 min)