After William Maxwell retired from The New Yorker, he reread all the stories by the authors he had published; after rereading Mavis Gallant’s “The Pegnitz Junction”, he wrote her to apologize for not having published it in full. "'He wrote 'my mind must have been out for lunch.' What
"It is an attested fact that he was born in Mainz. Mainz is a place he passed through once, in a locked freight car when he was being transported through France with a convoy of prisoners." Willi and Ernst were prisoners of war together and in "Willi", Mavis Gallant's
“I served coffee in cups with Liberté and Patrie and a green-and-white shield of the Vaud on them. The parents of a pupil had bought them in Montreux for me once." Erika is a school-teacher, in a village a half-day's train ride from Montreux, Switzerland. She teaches girls elementary
There is not so much sadness in this story. And, dessert is served. But there is nothing sugary about the relationship between Helena and the police commissioner. Even though they have been "friends forever". "On a silver dish, and on still another pink cloth, this one embroidered, are wedges
“'Once there we are almost home. Pegnitz is a junction. Trains go through every few minutes, in all directions. In most directions,' he corrected." Herbert is careful to be exact when he's speaking to his young son, Little Bert, who believes every word his father says. Later when Herbert
