SOURCE: A review of The Blue Flower, in Los Angeles Times Book Review, April 13, 1997, p. 5.

In the following review, Eder describes the mosaic quality of Fitzgerald’s writing in The Blue Flower.

It is not certain that God makes a distinction between Beethoven’s writing the Waldstein sonata and a parent’s folding the baby’s diapers. Not because there is no difference but because God, if I can interpret, may reason that a certain equipment (genius) went to Beethoven and that a certain equipment (a washing machine) went to the parent and that each made full and perfect use of each.

Further, it is always possible that the clean diapers will wrap some infant Beethoven of the future, who otherwise would perish from an infected rash, or that the parent was lifted out of suicidal tedium by hearing the Waldstein on FM radio.

This may sound pious...