The Pure Gold Baby - Rilegato

Drabble, Margaret

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0544158903 ISBN 13: 9780544158900

Casa editrice: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013

Riassunto

Jessica Speight, a young anthropology student in 1960s London, is at the beginning of a promising academic career when an affair with her married professor turns her into a single mother. Anna is a pure gold baby with a delightful sunny nature. But as it becomes clear that Anna will not be a normal child, the book circles questions of responsibility, potential, even age, with Margaret Drabble’s characteristic intelligence, sympathy, and wit.

Drabble once wrote, “Family life itself, that safest, most traditional, most approved of female choices, is not a sanctuary; it is, perpetually, a dangerous place.” Told from the point of view of the group of mothers who surround Jess, The Pure Gold Baby is a brilliant, prismatic novel that takes us into that place with satiric verve, trenchant commentary, and a movingly intimate story of the unexpected transformations at the heart of motherhood.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

PRAISE FOR A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SMILING WOMAN

Vogue.com: Summer Fiction: Eight Standout New Books Will Take You Away

"A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman gathers 14 stories from what Drabble herself calls 'a lifetime of really not writing short stories.' When she saw the stories arranged in chronological order, she found them to be a kind of emotional biography."
—NPR

"Many [of the stories] glimmer with irony, lyricism, moral vision and (despite their page counts) amplitude we associate with Drabble's novels. They reflect back to use the last half of the 20th century." 
—New York Times Book Review

"Show[s] a mastery of the [short-story] form . . .Brilliantly dramatic . . . Prick these moody and introspective characters, and they do bleed." 
—All Things Considered

"Landmark."
—Vogue

"What distinguishes Drabble's fiction from the commonplace is that, like Doris Lessing's early work, it nails femaleness . . . [The stories] bring magic that will stay with us."
—San Francisco Chronicle

"Written over a period of 50 years, these stories reveal a great deal about a writer best known for her novels . . . We see Drabble honing her powerful eye for details and their meanings." 
—Susan Salter Reynolds, Los Angeles Times

"A fastidious chronicler of the vagaries of women’s lives in England since the early nineteen-sixties . . . Drabble is one of the most versatile and accomplished writers of her generation . . . A sympathetic clear-mindedness characterizes Drabble’s short fiction." —Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker

"Drabble, a writer of acid wit, keen plots, and psychological acuity...uses the form with distinct poise and power. Electrifyingly precise and darkly funny, Drabble has a talent for orchestrating startling turning points and moments of truth." —Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred)

"Reflects both the development of Dame Drabble's work as well as the decades in which societal expectations for women-- and women's expectations of themselves-- were rapidly shifting...[R]eaders will enjoy following the leitmotifs of Drabble's worlds while also recognizing the evolution of her craft and the choices of her heroines." —Publishers Weekly (starred)

"Drabble's fans will savor these bite-sized examples of her humane intelligence." —Kirkus Reviews

"These sharp and poignant stories will have broad appeal but will be especially nostalgic for readers who came of age in the heady dawn of feminism and who cut their literary teeth on the likes of Doris Lessing, Margaret Atwood, and Drabble herself." —Library Journal

"Achingly wise...Lamenting and steely, gentled by compassion. Admirers of Marilynne Robinson will find themselves very much at home in this book." —Wall Street Journal

"Moving and meditative...I found a kind of somber bravery in the story of this unwavering, intelligent woman and her guileless and beautiful child. I'm so glad that Margaret Drabble, like her characters, just decided to keep on going." —Meg Wolitzer, NPR.org

"The Pure Gold Baby is a closely observed group portrait of female friends, a patient insight into the joys and pains of motherhood, and an image of how society has changed and how it has not." —Harper's

"Insightful and wise, The Pure Gold Baby chronicles the deep challenges of parenting under any circumstances — yet it also captures the almost unbearable vulnerability of being human." —Boston Globe

"The Pure Gold Baby is as deep as it is wide: resonant, recursive and contemplative." —The Kansas City Star

"The Pure Gold Baby is an unexpected gift from a great author. How do we treat the child who walks among us in a different way than most? In Margaret Drabble's hands the answer is with a depth of empathy few master." —Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones

"Margaret Drabble has written a compelling portrait of a mother whose care for her disabled child unfolds against a world of shifting mores. This is a panoramic survey of the way social attitudes toward difference have shifted--of what has been gained and of what has been lost. It is above all a humbling portrait of time, a stern reminder that what we know to be true today may well be untrue tomorrow. It is written with acuity, wisdom, and grace." —Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree

"An intimate look at a small family and its circle, told with wit, sensitivity, and deft knowledge of the household details of its setting...[Drabble] is a masterly storyteller and a preeminent chronicler of modern life...Readers who yearn for well-crafted fiction full of thoughtful ideas and observations should welcome this heartily." —Library Journal (starred review)

"[A] deeply intellectual, though never pretentious consideration of our intricate connections and obligations to others. Thoughtful and provocative, written with the author’s customary intelligence and quiet passion." —Kirkus

"Dame of the British Empire Drabble is in peak form in this marvelously dexterous, tartly funny, and commanding novel of moral failings and women’s quandaries, brilliantly infusing penetrating social critique with stinging irony as she considers what life makes of us and what we make of life... Given Drabble’s standing as one of the giants of world literature, elevated attention will be paid to her first novel since The Sea Lady (2007)." —Booklist (starred review)


"Achingly wise...Lamenting and steely, gentled by compassion. Admirers of Marilynne Robinson will find themselves very much at home in this book." —Wall Street Journal

"Moving and meditative...I found a kind of somber bravery in the story of this unwavering, intelligent woman and her guileless and beautiful child. I'm so glad that Margaret Drabble, like her characters, just decided to keep on going." —Meg Wolitzer, NPR.org

"Feelings of age, of history, and of hindsight permeate the book...The novel’s true preoccupation is social history, and it powerfully evokes the changes of recent decades." —The New Yorker

"The Pure Gold Baby is a closely observed group portrait of female friends, a patient insight into the joys and pains of motherhood, and an image of how society has changed and how it has not." —Harper's

"Insightful and wise, The Pure Gold Baby chronicles the deep challenges of parenting under any circumstances — yet it also captures the almost unbearable vulnerability of being human." —Boston Globe

"The Pure Gold Baby is as deep as it is wide: resonant, recursive and contemplative." —The Kansas City Star

"The Pure Gold Baby is an unexpected gift from a great author. How do we treat the child who walks among us in a different way than most? In Margaret Drabble's hands the answer is with a depth of empathy few master." —Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones

"Margaret Drabble has written a compelling portrait of a mother whose care for her disabled child unfolds against a world of shifting mores. This is a panoramic survey of the way social attitudes toward difference have shifted--of what has been gained and of what has been lost. It is above all a humbling portrait of time, a stern reminder that what we know to be true today may well be untrue tomorrow. It is written with acuity, wisdom, and grace." —Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree

"An intimate look at a small family and its circle, told with wit, sensitivity, and deft knowledge of the household details of its setting...[Drabble] is a masterly storyteller and a preeminent chronicler of modern life...Readers who yearn for well-crafted fiction full of thoughtful ideas and observations should welcome this heartily." —Library Journal (starred review)

"[A] deeply intellectual, though never pretentious consideration of our intricate connections and obligations to others. Thoughtful and provocative, written with the author’s customary intelligence and quiet passion." —Kirkus

"Dame of the British Empire Drabble is in peak form in this marvelously dexterous, tartly funny, and commanding novel of moral failings and women’s quandaries, brilliantly infusing penetrating social critique with stinging irony as she considers what life makes of us and what we make of life... Given Drabble’s standing as one of the giants of world literature, elevated attention will be paid to her first novel since The Sea Lady (2007)." —Booklist (starred review)


"Achingly wise...Lamenting and steely, gentled by compassion. Admirers of Marilynne Robinson will find themselves very much at home in this book." —Wall Street Journal

"Moving and meditative...I found a kind of somber bravery in the story of this unwavering, intelligent woman and her guileless and beautiful child. I'm so glad that Margaret Drabble, like her characters, just decided to keep on going." —Meg Wolitzer, NPR's All Things Considered

"Feelings of age, of history, and of hindsight permeate the book...The novel’s true preoccupation is social history, and it powerfully evokes the changes of recent decades." —The New Yorker

"The Pure Gold Baby is a closely observed group portrait of female friends, a patient insight into the joys and pains of motherhood, and an image of how society has changed and how it has not." —Harper's

"Insightful and wise, The Pure Gold Baby chronicles the deep challenges of parenting under any circumstances — yet it also captures the almost unbearable vulnerability of being human." —Boston Globe

"The Pure Gold Baby is as deep as it is wide: resonant, recursive and contemplative." —The Kansas City Star

"The Pure Gold Baby is an unexpected gift from a great author. How do we treat the child who walks among us in a different way than most? In Margaret Drabble's hands the answer is with a depth of empathy few master." —Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones

"Margaret Drabble has written a compelling portrait of a mother whose care for her disabled child unfolds against a world of shifting mores. This is a panoramic survey of the way social attitudes toward difference have shifted--of what has been gained and of what has been lost. It is above all a humbling portrait of time, a stern reminder that what we know to be true today may well be untrue tomorrow. It is written with acuity, wisdom, and grace." —Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree

"An intimate look at a small family and its circle, told with wit, sensitivity, and deft knowledge of the household details of its setting...[Drabble] is a masterly storyteller and a preeminent chronicler of modern life...Readers who yearn for well-crafted fiction full of thoughtful ideas and observations should welcome this heartily." —Library Journal (starred review)

"[A] deeply intellectual, though never pretentious consideration of our intricate connections and obligations to others. Thoughtful and provocative, written with the author’s customary intelligence and quiet passion." —Kirkus

"Dame of the British Empire Drabble is in peak form in this marvelously dexterous, tartly funny, and commanding novel of moral failings and women’s quandaries, brilliantly infusing penetrating social critique with stinging irony as she considers what life makes of us and what we make of life... Given Drabble’s standing as one of the giants of world literature, elevated attention will be paid to her first novel since The Sea Lady (2007)." —Booklist (starred review)


"Achingly wise...Lamenting and steely, gentled by compassion. Admirers of Marilynne Robinson will find themselves very much at home in this book." —Wall Street Journal

"Moving and meditative...I found a kind of somber bravery in the story of this unwavering, intelligent woman and her guileless and beautiful child. I'm so glad that Margaret Drabble, like her characters, just decided to keep on going." —Meg Wolitzer, NPR's All Things Considered

"Feelings of age, of history, and of hindsight permeate the book...The novel’s true preoccupation is social history, and it powerfully evokes the changes of recent decades." —The New Yorker

"The Pure Gold Baby is a closely observed group portrait of female friends, a patient insight into the joys and pains of motherhood, and an image of how society has changed and how it has not." —Harper's

"It is a testament to the intensity and skill of Drabble’s writing that part of this novel’s suspense has to do with our waiting for definitions, diagnoses, and certainties that are never offered; and that part of our satisfaction lies in our acceptance that they cannot be...These are characteristic Drabble maneuvers: to take us all the way to death and madness and then back, to life defiant and friendship itself defying time by living fully within it." —The New York Review of Books

"Insightful and wise, The Pure Gold Baby chronicles the deep challenges of parenting under any circumstances — yet it also captures the almost unbearable vulnerability of being human." —Boston Globe

"The Pure Gold Baby is as deep as it is wide: resonant, recursive and contemplative." —The Kansas City Star

"The Pure Gold Baby is an unexpected gift from a great author. How do we treat the child who walks among us in a different way than most? In Margaret Drabble's hands the answer is with a depth of empathy few master." —Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones

"Margaret Drabble has written a compelling portrait of a mother whose care for her disabled child unfolds against a world of shifting mores. This is a panoramic survey of the way social attitudes toward difference have shifted--of what has been gained and of what has been lost. It is above all a humbling portrait of time, a stern reminder that what we know to be true today may well be untrue tomorrow. It is written with acuity, wisdom, and grace." —Andrew Solomon, author of Far From the Tree

"An intimate look at a small family and its circle, told with wit, sensitivity, and deft knowledge of the household details of its setting...[Drabble] is a masterly storyteller and a preeminent chronicler of modern life...Readers who yearn for well-crafted fiction full of thoughtful ideas and observations should welcome this heartily." —Library Journal (starred review)

"[A] deeply intellectual, though never pretentious consideration of our intricate connections and obligations to others. Thoughtful and provocative, written with the author’s customary intelligence and quiet passion." —Kirkus

"Dame of the British Empire Drabble is in peak form in this marvelously dexterous, tartly funny, and commanding novel of moral failings and women’s quandaries, brilliantly infusing penetrating social critique with stinging irony as she considers what lif...

Dalla quarta di copertina:

Praise for Margaret Drabble

“Reading a Margaret Drabble novel has always been like cozying up with a cup of hot tea by a gas fire with a dull English winter rain misting the window, and contemplating the story of one’s own life.” — New York Times

“As meticulous as Jane Austen, and as deadly as Evelyn Waugh.” — Los Angeles Times

“The deft commingling of the sentimental and the matter-of-fact is characteristic of writer Margaret Drabble . . . Drabble is one of the most versatile and accomplished writers of her generation.” — Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker

“Reading Margaret Drabble’s novels has become something of a rite of passage . . . Sharply observed, exquisitely companionable tales of women of a certain age and class, educated, egocentric, strong, unlucky in love.” — Washington Post

“Drabble’s fiction has achieved a panoramic vision of contemporary life.” — Chicago Tribune

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Data di pubblicazione: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0544158903
• ISBN 13: 9780544158900
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 304