Blaiming , Elizabeth Taylor's last novel, is a subtle novel about grief, guilt and compassion.
While on holiday in Istanbul, tragedy strikes, and suddenly the comfortably middle-aged, middle-class Amy is left stranded and a widow. Martha, a young American novelist, kindly helps her, but upon their return to England, Amy is ungratefully reluctant to maintain their friendship—on home soil she realizes that in normal circumstances, Martha isn't the sort of person she would be friends with. But guilt is a hard taskmaster, and Martha has a way of getting under one's skin.
Paperback
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
Blaiming , Elizabeth Taylor's last novel, is a subtle novel about grief, guilt and compassion.
While on holiday in Istanbul, tragedy strikes, and suddenly the comfortably middle-aged, middle-class Amy is left stranded and a widow. Martha, a young American novelist, kindly helps her, but upon their return to England, Amy is ungratefully reluctant to maintain their friendship—on home soil she realizes that in normal circumstances, Martha isn't the sort of person she would be friends with. But guilt is a hard taskmaster, and Martha has a way of getting under one's skin.
Description
'How deeply I envy any reader coming to her for the first time!' Elizabeth Jane Howard
A finely nuanced exploration of responsibility, snobbery and culture clash from one of the twentieth century's finest novelists.
When Amy is suddenly left widowed and alone while on holiday in Istanbul, Martha, an American traveller, comforts her and accompanies her back to England. Upon their return, however, Amy is ungratefully reluctant to maintain their relationship, recognising that, under any other circumstances, the two women would not be friends. But guilt is a hard taskmaster, and Martha has away of getting under one's skin ...
*
'Her stories remain with one, indelibly, as though they had been some turning-point in one's own experience' Elizabeth Bowen
'No writer has described the English middle classes with more gently devastating accuracy' Rebecca Abrams, Spectator
'A Game of Hide and Seek showcases much of what makes Taylor a great novelist: piercing insight, a keen wit and a genuine sense of feeling for her characters' Elizabeth Day, Guardian
Critic Reviews
“Taylor has the genius of making her characters understood, sometimes with an almost frightening clarity, perhaps because she is compassionate as well as relentless in her delineation of them-- New York Times”
'A compassionate and devastating tale' Daily Mail 'Jane Austen, Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Pym, Elizabeth Bowen - soul-sisters all' Anne Tyler 'Elizabeth Taylor had the keenest eye and ear for the pain lurking behind a genteel demeanour' Paul Bailey, Guardian 'How deeply I envy any reader coming to her for the first time!' Elizabeth Jane Howard 'The unsung heroine of British 20th century fiction' Rebecca Abrams, New Statesman 'A wonderful novelist' Jilly Cooper 'How skilfully and with what peculiar exhilaration she negotiated the minefield of the human heart' Jonathan Keates 'An eye as sharply all-seeing as her prose-style is elegant -- even the humdrum becomes astonishing' Daily Telegraph 'Brilliantly amusing' Rosamund Lehman
About the Author
Elizabeth Taylor (1912-1975) was born and educated in Reading. On leaving school she worked as a governess and later in a library. She lived much of her married life in the village of Penn, Bucks.
'How deeply I envy any reader coming to her for the first time!' Elizabeth Jane Howard A finely nuanced exploration of responsibility, snobbery and culture clash from one of the twentieth century's finest novelists. When Amy is suddenly left widowed and alone while on holiday in Istanbul, Martha, an American traveller, comforts her and accompanies her back to England. Upon their return, however, Amy is ungratefully reluctant to maintain their relationship, recognising that, under any other circumstances, the two women would not be friends. But guilt is a hard taskmaster, and Martha has away of getting under one's skin ...'Her stories remain with one, indelibly, as though they had been some turning-point in one's own experience' Elizabeth Bowen 'No writer has described the English middle classes with more gently devastating accuracy' Rebecca Abrams, Spectator 'A Game of Hide and Seek showcases much of what makes Taylor a great novelist: piercing insight, a keen wit and a genuine sense of feeling for her characters' Elizabeth Day, Guardian
Product Details
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.
