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Article: The LIFE of JOHN SMITH; A Biography of Everyman
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- October 19, 1997
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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How much is one life like all lives?
This is the story of the life of John Smith. It is told in
chapters, through profiles of seven different people from the
Washington area, each named John Smith. Finding them was easy; the
phone book is full of them.
Seven John Smiths, at seven stages of life. They are young and
middle-aged and old. They are black and white. Straight and gay.
Hale and feeble. Happy, sad, swaggering, scared, fulfilled, empty,
indomitable.
They have in common their name. And, it turns out, a great
deal more.
The life of John Smith began with a fight. "Go away!" the
wife said from behind the bedroom door. But her husband understood
that go away meant come back and ...