Amateurs In Eden by Joanna Hodgkin
Nancy Durrell has always been an enigma. To her husband Lawrence, future author of the Alexandria Quartet, she was his introduction to bohemian London, his companion during his formative years and the inspiration for some of his finest poetry. Here at last is Nancy's story. Growing up in a dysfunctional family, she was the provincial schoolgirl who was transformed overnight into a young woman of haunting beauty. From the smoky pubs of 1930s Fitzrovia to the sexual mayhem of the Villa Seurat in Paris, and a remote village in pre-war Corfu, her story shines new light on an extraordinary group of people.
This is not just a memoir of her motherThis is the history of a literary wife. On both counts, Hodgkin succeeds beautifully ... [Nancy's] story is not a footnote; it is absolutely central. Independent 'Frank and captivating ... rich in charm and pathos ... Hodgkin has done both Nancy and herself proud with this fresh portrait of a marriage we thought we knew, and of a woman we have never known well enough.' -- Miranda Seymour Sunday Times 'It's a cracking story, and Hodgkin ... is a meticulous researcher' -- Olivia Laing Observer 'The animating spirit that pulses through this joint biography is to be thoroughly applauded.' -- D. J. Taylor Literary Review 'An enjoyable, revisionist account of a bohemian marriage. And a smack in the face for Durrell acolytes who think the great man deserved a worthier first mate.' -- Blake Morrison Guardian
Joanna Hodgkin is the author of eleven novels, both crime fiction and historical fiction which have been translated into ten languages and adapted for TV.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781844087938 |
| ISBN 10 | 184408793X |
| Title | Amateurs In Eden |
| Author | Joanna Hodgkin |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Little, Brown Book Group |
| Year published | 2012-02-09 |
| Number of pages | 352 |
| Prizes | Short-listed for Spear's Book Awards: Family History Book of the Year 2012 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |