From the Reading Room
EXCELLENT FICTION CHOICE: LAKE SHORE LIMITED
2010-06-04 17:29:39 Posted By: Lois - Branches
A central character in this book, Gus, was killed on 9/11. He was aboard a plane that crashed into the World Trade Center. Unbeknownst to his grieving family is the fact that his fiancee, playwright Billy (Wilhelmina), Gertz was about to break up with Gus when the tragedy struck. Billy knows she cannot tell Gus's family the truth as that would add to their grief. In time, Billy writes a play that incorporates some of her feelings. The play, entitled Lake Shore Limited, is about the bombing of a train. Its main character is named Gabriel, and he reacts oddly to the news that his wife might have been killed on the train. Another part of the play concerns a character with a dying spouse. When the actors for Billy's play are cast, Billy does not know that one of the actors has a dying spouse, so his understanding of and performance in the play is greatly illuminated by his personal experience. This book is a great example of psychological fiction. With chapters alternating between four different characters' points of view, Miller is able to show us how each well-drawn personality experiences loss,change and healing. This book also appeals to readers who like metafiction since it shows us how a writer's life experiences are channeled into an artist's work. Highly recommended for literary fiction readers.
