In Emily St. John Mandel’s bestselling novel Station Eleven, a Hollywood star, his would-be savior, and a nomadic group of actors and musicians roam a post-apocalyptic North America in the aftermath of a flu pandemic. Nostalgic for their world “before the collapse,” the Traveling Symphony moves in horse-drawn wagons from town to town and risks everything for the sake of preserving art and humanity, striving to live honorably in a damaged world. One of the Symphony musicians explains that they perform mostly Shakespeare plays for the few remaining survivors because “people want what was best about the world.”
A 2014 National Book Award Finalist, Station Eleven contemplates ambition, the power of memory, and the relationships that sustain us, as well as the fleeting nature of fame, and the beauty of the world as we know it. Mandel’s dazzling and suspenseful novel spans decades, vividly portraying life before and after the pandemic. Equal parts mystery novel and post-apocalyptic tale, the characters’ passionate pursuit of preserving art and humanity infuses the story with hope.
“A superb novel . . . [that] leaves us not fearful for the end of the world but appreciative of the grace of everyday existence.” —San Francisco Chronicle