The Night Travellers: (Voices of the South) [Paperback]

Elizabeth Spencer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2002 | Series: Voices of the South

Set in the 1960's, The Night Travelers, portrays America under the shadow of the Vietnam War and the counterculture that developed in opposition to the war. The characters reflect a time when often violent pressures affected the American community and family life. Kate Harbison is a socially ambitious scientist whose life revolves around her work, which includes testing chemical weapons on animals for the military. Kate's daughter, Mary, who cares little for social distinction, falls in love with Jeff, an antiwar activist. Mary and Jeff's life involves traveling at night on the run to escape the draft by crossing the border into Canada. Ultimately, the story reveals that only death can destroy the ties that bind.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Spencer's novel, a Greek tragedy in modern dress, concerns a generation of wasted lives: Vietnam War protesters who went into hiding or exile.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

A haunting examination of another group of casualties of Vietnam--those who protested the war, evaded the draft, and became displaced (sometimes with loved ones) in Canada. Mary Kerr Harbison, whose well-bred widowed mother can turn abusive, is a gifted young dancer who wants only to dance. But she is drawn to brilliant political activist Jefferson Blaise, who won't stay away and becomes her lover, her husband, and her destiny. Jeff's destiny, however, is to act on his beliefs, becoming more deeply involved in dangerous antiwar activities and sweeping Mary along in the wake of unalterable events. The elements which distinguish Spencer's fiction (e.g., The Salt Line, LJ 1/84, Light in the Piazza , 1960) are here: richly plotted narrative told in diverse voices, with fluid shifts in time and a keen sense of place, and prose remarkable for its clarity and style. Here the subject is worthy of her art. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/91.
- Michele Leber, Fairfax Cty. P.L., Va.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Louisiana State University Press (April 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807127922
• ISBN-13: 978-0807127926
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,719,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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