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Mary Coin Audiobook
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Publisher Description
In her first novel since The God of War, critically acclaimed author Marisa Silver takes Dorothea Lange’s “Migrant Mother” photograph as inspiration for a breathtaking reinvention—a story of two women, one famous and one forgotten, and of the remarkable legacy of their singular encounter. In 1936, a young mother resting by the side of a road in Central California is spontaneously photographed by a woman documenting the migrant laborers who have taken to America’s farms in search of work—little personal information is exchanged and neither has any way of knowing that their chance encounter has produced the most iconic image of the Great Depression. Three vibrant characters anchor the narrative of Mary Coin: Mary, the migrant mother herself, who emerges as a woman with deep reserves of courage and nerve, with private passions and carefully-guarded secrets. Vera Dare, the photographer wrestling with creative ambition who makes the choice to leave her children in order to pursue her work. And Walker Dodge, a present-day professor of cultural history, who discovers a family mystery embedded in the picture. In luminous, exquisitely observed prose, Silver creates an extraordinary tale from a brief moment in history, and reminds us that though a great photograph can capture the essence of a moment, it only scratches the surface of a life.
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“Provocative…Silver writes beautifully and hasmeticulously researched her historical details, making for an informative,addictive book whose Depression-era narrative feels particularly relevant intoday’s recessionary times.”
— People (four stars)
Quotes
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“Mary Coin is quite simply one of the best novels I have read in years…Silver’s wisdom is rare, and her novel is the work of a master.”
— Ben Fountain, New York Times bestselling author -
“Marisa Silver renders the soul of an iconic image, giving it moving life. Mary Coin is a soaring work of imagination, dedication, and history.”
— Mona Simpson, New York Times bestselling author -
“Silver is one of those preternaturally gifted writers who can, with the lightest of touches, make the reader enter a world that feels as fully real as the one around us.”
— Meghan O’Rourke, award–winning author -
“Marisa Silver’s transfixing new novel…[is] a raw and emotional tale that leaves readers with a lingering question: Do photographs illuminate or blur the truth?”
— O, The Oprah Magazine -
“Silver is the right writer for [this] story. She’s a fine, delicate stylist, with an aphoristic style that fills even simple moments with meaning.”
— USA Today -
“Silver is an evocative, precise writer.”
— NPR -
“Silver’s story is artful…This novel is simply not to be missed.”
— Historical Novels Review -
“Gorgeous…With writing that is sensual and rich, [Silver] shines a light on the parts of personal history not shared and stops time without destroying the moment.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“[A] superb new novel…Silver has crafted a highly imaginative story that grabs the reader and won’t let go.”
— Library Journal (starred review) -
“The luminously written, heart-wrenching—yet never maudlin—plot moves back and forth through time, as history professor Walker Dodge unpeels the layers of the photograph’s hidden truths.”
— Booklist
Awards
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Selected for the March 2013 Indie Next List
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A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2013 for Fiction
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About Marisa Silver
Marisa Silver is a regular contributor to the New Yorker, with six stories published there to date. Her nonfiction writing will soon be featured in the magazine as well. She is the author of Babe in Paradise and No Direction Home.
About the Narrators
Mark Zeisler has a rich theater background, having grown up in the business. His father founded the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and was the longtime executive director of the Theatre Communications Group. Mark has appeared on Broadway in A View of the Bridge and Brooklyn Boy, and has worked at numerous theaters across the country. He has appeared in many films, including Shaft, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Head of State, as well TV shows, including Law and Order, Third Watch, and Rescue Me.
Eva Kaminsky is a New York–based actor and audiobook narrator with over 150 titles to her credit. She trained at Boston University and has acted in numerous productions on television and film, including Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Happyish, Ugly Betty, ER, Numbers, Law & Order, and others.