Photo courtesy of Boswell Books
One of today’s best modern storytellers, author Jess Walter is out with his sixth novel, this an epic tale of the early decades of the 20th century starring a pair of orphaned, train-hopping Montana brothers. The Millions follows a pair of teenage drifters, brothers Gig and Rye Dolan, in a dramatic storyline that spans nearly 100 years but is centered on only one: 1909, when the brothers become union organizers fighting against a world of income inequality that looks eerily like today’s political landscape.
Set mostly in the author’s hometown of Spokane, Washington, this expansive novel is peopled with a unique cast of characters both fictional and historical. Despite the differences between the brother’s demeanors and their actions, both young men find themselves swept up by vaudeville singers, mining magnates, fearless feminists and countless other nefarious personalities. Filled with pristine prose and sprinkled with adventure, romance and activism, The Millions is destined to become a classic on par with Walter’s 2012 New York Times bestseller Beautiful Ruins.
Walter will appear in a ticketed virtual event sponsored by Boswell Books 7 p.m. Wednesday, October 28. In addition to his novels, he is the author of a collection of short stories and a non-fiction chronicle. His previous books include the national bestseller The Financial Lives of the Poets, and the National Book Award finalist The Zero. Walter will speak in conversation with fellow author Karen Russell (Swamplandia), whose newest novella, Sleep Donation, was recently released.
To read more book previews and reviews, click here.
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To read more articles by Jenni Herrick, click here.
