Scan barcode
A review by saareman
Amundsen by Alice Munro
4.0
Love in a Sanatorium in a Cold Climate
Review of the New Yorker Fiction online edition (August 27, 2012) of the story later collected in the anthology [b:Dear Life|13530981|Dear Life|Alice Munro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333579320l/13530981._SX50_.jpg|19092649] (October 13, 2012).
I realized after Alice Munro's (July 10, 1931-May 13, 2024) passing that just about all of my reading of her was from my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. But several prompts arrived (see below) to get me started again.
While reading Amundsen it struck me how often short stories are mysteries. I don't mean that they are in that fiction genre. In the space of only a short number of pages you have to figure out the who, what, when, where, and why of the story. So the reader becomes the detective searching for clues and the author is the criminal who hides them. The clues in Amundsen arrive very gradually, some not until close to the very end.
A recent graduate teacher arrives at the Amundsen* Sanatorium in Ontario, Canada to provide schooling for the younger children in the facility. Amundsen is a fictional town as best as I know, so you begin to imagine what is the connection to the doomed polar explorer. You realize the sanatorium is for treating tuberculosis patients and for their recovery. There are references to World War II and the discovery/invention of streptomycin, so you realize the story is likely set in 1944. The chief surgeon is an off-putting character whom you dislike immediately. But a relationship grows with the young teacher, until it all comes to naught.
I enjoyed this revisit to Alice Munro's work and hope to continue with further re-reads, new reads and reviews.
Footnote
When a reference to Huntsville, Ontario comes along late in the story, you realize that the inspiration for the sanatorium in Amundsen was likely the one in Gravenhurst, Ontario. Gravenhurst is about 53 kilometres (33 miles) south of Huntsville.
Trivia and Links
The New Yorker sent out a newsletter with links to some of its Alice Munro stories and related articles. You can see that newsletter here. If you are a subscriber, still have free reads, or are lightning ⚡
Review of the New Yorker Fiction online edition (August 27, 2012) of the story later collected in the anthology [b:Dear Life|13530981|Dear Life|Alice Munro|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1333579320l/13530981._SX50_.jpg|19092649] (October 13, 2012).
I realized after Alice Munro's (July 10, 1931-May 13, 2024) passing that just about all of my reading of her was from my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. But several prompts arrived (see below) to get me started again.
While reading Amundsen it struck me how often short stories are mysteries. I don't mean that they are in that fiction genre. In the space of only a short number of pages you have to figure out the who, what, when, where, and why of the story. So the reader becomes the detective searching for clues and the author is the criminal who hides them. The clues in Amundsen arrive very gradually, some not until close to the very end.
A recent graduate teacher arrives at the Amundsen* Sanatorium in Ontario, Canada to provide schooling for the younger children in the facility. Amundsen is a fictional town as best as I know, so you begin to imagine what is the connection to the doomed polar explorer. You realize the sanatorium is for treating tuberculosis patients and for their recovery. There are references to World War II and the discovery/invention of streptomycin, so you realize the story is likely set in 1944. The chief surgeon is an off-putting character whom you dislike immediately. But a relationship grows with the young teacher, until it all comes to naught.
I enjoyed this revisit to Alice Munro's work and hope to continue with further re-reads, new reads and reviews.
Footnote
When a reference to Huntsville, Ontario comes along late in the story, you realize that the inspiration for the sanatorium in Amundsen was likely the one in Gravenhurst, Ontario. Gravenhurst is about 53 kilometres (33 miles) south of Huntsville.
Trivia and Links
The New Yorker sent out a newsletter with links to some of its Alice Munro stories and related articles. You can see that newsletter here. If you are a subscriber, still have free reads, or are lightning ⚡