

This question does not lie precisely at the heart of Universal Harvester - the second novel from singer-songwriter John Darnielle - but certainly informs it at every turn. In a way, stories are our most prolific and dangerous serial killers, leaving behind plucky orphans, kind but overbearing widowers, the occasional wicked stepmother, and two questions: Where on earth did the mothers go? And why? Critics and scholars tie themselves in knots trying to identify the cultural significance of the missing-mother trope, which is pervasive and shows no signs of letting up.

You may have noticed that mothers don't do so well in literature – stories both classic and contemporary tend to bump them off. Your purchase helps support NPR programming. Close overlay Buy Featured Book Title Universal Harvester Author John Darnielle
