Sparky Christina and her gifted adopted sister Pam, forceful, motherless Jago and strangely weightless Peter, embark on a dazzling series of pairings and partings, outrageous coincidences and eleventh-hour entrances. As Christina analyses the wit, cruelty and crossed genders of Shakespearean comedy, their own lives are also entering the last act.
Ask today's favorite novelists what books influenced their writing and you'll hear "Brother of the More Famous Jack "again and again."" Dog-eared copies of this long out-of-print novel are highly prized and shared enthusiastically in literary circles-its return to print is cause for celebration.Stylish, suburban Katherine is eighteen when she is propelled into the heart of Professor Jacob Goldman's rambling home and his large eccentric family. As his enchanting yet sharp-tongued wife, Jane, gives birth to her sixth child, Katherine meets beautiful, sulky Roger and his volatile younger brother, Jonathan. Inevitable heartbreak sends her fleeing to Rome, but ten years later, older and wiser, she returns to find the Goldmans again."Why did it take me so long to discover the singular joys of Barbara Trapido's novels? Why, for so many years, had I missed these witty, soulful, heartbreaking, expansive, brilliant tales? What have I been wasting my time doing? Reading books that AREN'T perfect? Never again Since finally discovering Trapido in 2012, I have become a literary evangelist on her behalf. On account of my badgering, all my friends now love her, too. I won't rest until everyone in America has read (and fallen in love with) this fabulous author." -Elizabeth Gilbert
The moment Jem joins her class in the middle of Silent Reading, Alice knows her life is changed. Jem seduces Alice with esoteric literature and the fabric of the past - and then she vanishes. Five years on, Jem blazes across her sphere again. And then the infuriating Giovanni appears.
Several British eccentrics are brought together by the death of a woman and the result is a series of romances. A satirical look at the British social scene with its indestructible class system. By the author of Noah's Ark.
The narrative weaves a compelling tale that explores the intricacies of human relationships and the impact of choices on personal destiny. Set against a richly developed backdrop, the characters navigate through emotional challenges and transformative experiences, revealing profound insights about love, loss, and redemption. With a blend of suspense and heartfelt moments, the story captivates readers, inviting them to reflect on their own lives while immersing themselves in the characters' journeys.
Dinah and her sister Lisa are growing up in 1950's South Africa, where racial laws are tightening. They are two little girls from a dissenting liberal family. Big sister Lisa is strong and sensible, while Dinah is weedy and arty. At school, the sadistic Mrs Vaughan-Jones is providing instruction in mental arithmetic and racial prejudice. And then there's the puzzle of lunch break. 'Would you rather have a native girl or a koelie to make your sandwiches?' a first-year classmate asks. But Dinah doesn't know the answer, because it's her dad who makes her sandwiches. As the apparatus of repression rolls on, Dinah finds her own way, escaping into rewarding friendships. Then there's the minefield of boys and university and finally, there's marriage and voluntary exile in London. As we follow Dinah's journey through childhood and adolescence, we enter into one of the darker passages of twentieth-century history. Balancing darkness and light with marvellous dexterity, this is Barbara Trapido at the top of her form - vibrant, profound and, as always, irresistible.
Noah's Ark, with its lively wit, piquant insight and outrageous characters, more than fulfils the promise of the prize-winning Brother of the More Famous Jack
Als Jem wie aus dem Nichts in der kleinen Welt der behüteten Alice auftaucht, hat sie etwas von einem Geschenk des Himmels. Jem und Alice tauchen ein in einen Kosmos, in dem die Grenzen zwischen Realität und Fantasie aufgehoben scheinen. Die beiden ungleichen Mädchen genießen Literatur, Musik, Schuleschwänzen und extravagante Absurditäten – und schaffen sich etwas eigenes, weit weg vom grauen Schulalltag. Doch dann, genauso schnell, wie sie gekommen ist, verschwindet Jem und lässt eine völlig verstörte Alice zurück. Jahre später, Schulen später, Liebhaber später, erhält Alice einen Brief von ihrer verschollenen, todkranken Freundin, die ihr ein Baby und ein Romanmanuskript hinterlassen will. Und wie bei ihrer ersten Begegnung beginnt für Alice eine Reise mit unbekanntem Ausgang …