Magpie - Douglas Durkin

In the aftermath of World War I, even the victors are rocked by social upheaval, as returning soldiers expect a reward for their war-time sacrifices, and women grieve for their lost husbands and sons. General strikes rock Paris, Lyon, Brussels, Glasgow, San Francisco, and even quiet Winnipeg on the Canadian prairies. The Magpie is set during the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919, as Captain Craig Forrester returns home from war, to a city and a country in the throes of civil unrest. Both a social commentary and a novel about post-war disillusionment, author Douglas Durkin (1884-1967) examines the greed, hypocrisy, and narrow-mindedness of the “decent” classes seeking to restore the pre-war status quo ante. Secondary themes include the redemptive power of art and the role of women in post-war society. - Summary by ASharma