Jane Hamilton celebrates families in her own special way

by Euan Kerr, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Early on in Jane Hamilton's new novel "When Madeline was Young," Mac the narrator discovers what he thinks is a family secret.

He'd always assumed that the glamorous but brain-damaged woman living in their home was an aunt. It turns out that Madeline is actually his father's first wife, who had been injured in a bicycle crash. As in her other novels, "The Book of Ruth" and "Map of the World," Hamilton weaves a tale of family love and conflict.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 09/27/2006, 4:48 p.m.