Science Fiction · MelancholicAfter civilization collapses, a family's isolated Virginia community survives by turning to cloning
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang
by Kate Wilhelm
A valley community survives by making copies of itself
Harper & Row published the novel in 1976, and its first part first appeared in Orbit 15. It is set in Virginia, near the Shenandoah River, in a post-apocalyptic era. A family's isolated community tries to survive the collapse of civilization by turning to cloning. The three parts are "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang", "Shenandoah" and "At the Still Point". The title comes from Shakespeare's Sonnet 73. The first edition has 207 pages and cover art by M. C. Escher.
More about this book
Who
David, Celia, Molly, Ben, Mark and Barry.
World
The Shenandoah valley in Virginia, after civilization has collapsed.
What makes it different
The title is taken from Shakespeare's Sonnet 73, and the first edition's cover art is by M. C. Escher. It also won the Locus Award and the Jupiter Award.
Feel
Hushed and mournful.
Page count and cover shown for: Selected edition
Further reading
- Where Late the Sweet Birds SangWikipedia