A tender and witty view of life on a family farm

The setting for Jane Hamilton's new novel is very near to her heart — it's also her view out the window.

"The Excellent Lombards" is set on a family-run orchard, similar to the apple trees that stretch out at Hamilton's own Wisconsin farm.

The novel follows Frankie Lombard, a girl who grows up surrounded by family and farm work. But the plight of small family farms comes through: Frankie must grapple with questions of how the farm can survive, and who will run it for the next generation.

"I was very interested with the idea of succession in a farm family," Hamilton told MPR News host Kerri Miller. "Succession is such a vexed matter because so many things come into play: Who gets to stay? Who can't stay? Who ends up staying up but didn't want to stay?"

For the full interview with Jane Milton on "The Excellent Lombards," use the audio player above.