The bulk of "The Progress of Love" takes place during the summer when the narrator is twelve. She's looking back on that summer, on the memories that she has of her mother during that time, because her father has called to say that her mother has died. She, herself, is
As one of my Must Reads (it's also in the 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up), this classic had the feel of "homework" when I first picked it up, but soon became a pleasure to read. Brian Jacques' Redwall (1986) The Redwall series began when I was more interested
Houghton Mifflin, 1986 "I want everything back, the way it was. But there is no point to it, this wanting." So says the narrator, whom we know as Offred. But that's not her real name. And it doesn't feel to her that this is her real life, what
A quick glance at my bookshelves and you would think that Jane Urquhart is one of my favourite authors. I have all of her novels save one -- a couple of hardcovers purchased new -- but I have a habit of leaving them unfinished. Nonetheless, the themes she pursues in
Pat Barker's Liza's England (Virago, VMC #417, 1986) This month two longstanding reading projects intersect: the Green VMCs and the Orange Prize meet. Historically I believe there are four authors whose writing has been published on the Virago Modern Classic list and has also been listed for the Orange Prize
