Secrets and shame — every family has its share. When it came time to write her most autobiographical novel, Claire Messud relied on a 1,500-page family history compiled by her paternal grandfather. The result, “This Strange Eventful History,” sprawls over a third as many pages — 423, to be exact — to tell the story of three generations of a …
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. When it came time to write her most autobiographical …
Book Review The Strange Eventful History: A Novel By Claire Messud W.W. Norton & Company: 448 pages, $29.99 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores. Claire Messud’s latest novel, “This Strange Eventful History,” has a compelling history of its own. Auden’s oft-quoted formulation, “that poetry makes …
