The Joy Of The Mundane In ‘Emily, Alone’
by Maureen Corrigan
It takes a deft hand to do justice to the ordinary. Most novelists don’t even bother to try, which is why most novels are about a rip in the fabric of the routine. It’s tough to find fiction ambitious enough to tackle the story of a run-of-the-mill job, a hum-drum family; but, if the mundane matters to you, then Stewart O’Nan is your man.
The Works of Stewart O'Nan 
After reading the Times review this morning, I’ve added “Emily Alone” to my list of reading. In this riotous time of ours the quiet of a character like your eighty-year-old can, and apparently does, resonate.