Carson’s Moon is a collection of stories about men and women in their later years. I would say the stories are mostly about men. My point of view. The stories tell about men’s reactions to life changes they see in others, especially their family or someone close to them. Most people assume Carson’s Moon is about Carson, because of the title. I tend to think the story is about her husband not because he is the narrator, but because he is reacting to the change happening to Carson. As you read the stories don’t forget about the men in the stories. The stories explore a question my daughter asked me: Is life as good when you get older? I tried to answer her question in these stories. I tried to show in the stories that even when the memories are difficult, life can still be good. It depends on how you approach it I told my daughter. In “Niles, Crux and Bridge” Nellie lives her later years by herself but with pleasant memories of Niles who still pervades her life in almost every way. McDonald in “Change”, faces change, better known as life, with a stark stoicism that makes his life manageable but also helps him see how change effects those around. I like to think these stories are full of life.
