Morgan's Passing (by Anne Tyler)

I’m re-reading the novels I’ve acquired, over the years, by Anne Tyler. She’s an American novelist whose work I was first introduced to about three decades ago when we lived in the United States for a couple of years. I very much like her quirky style and her way with words, but recall almost nothing about any of the books. I last read ‘Morgan’s Passing’ in 2002, although apparently I didn’t review it afterwards. 

The novel opens with a village fair, and a puppet show. The children are getting a...