This’ is the story of Birkin’s restoration of a medieval wall-painting; his friendship with the archaeologist Moon (himself doubly traumatised by his past); his integration into the community, particularly the Ellerbeck family; his falling for Alice, wife of the local clergyman (somewhat sketchily-drawn, but then again Birkin never really knows her, and, typical of the generosity of Carr’s vision, a late scene softens the way we see her husband Reverend Keach, the closest character to a ‘villain’ in the book). Book is straight, square, tightly and evenly bound and, except for aforementioned flaw and folding crease to top corner of p15, free of other blemishes, markings and creasing at gutter, spine or hinges. Another collection, Still Further: New Poems, 2000–2019, will be published by the Uhlanga Press this year. Both, outsiders from the south of England here up North where the accents are thick and the daily rhythms slower. Short enough to allow for a quick reading, this economical work doesn't lack depth in any way; the characters are really funny and serious, being very easy to empathize with them in their joy and their sadness.

As a big fan, I have to recommend it and have continued to re-read it over the years, always finding something new or enjoying the moment again. After a lifetime of teaching English literature, I have accumulated a private and rather eclectic pantheon of great (mainly modern) novels, in which J. The proffered kindnesses from the Stationmaster (Chapel) to Birkin right from when he stepped off the train but also the coolness and distance the Rector (of the Church) showed in contrast.All used books might have various degrees of writing, highliting and wear and tear and possibly be an ex-library with the usual stickers and stamps. His father Joseph, the eleventh son of a farmer, went to work for the railways, eventually becoming a station master for the North Eastern Railway. Our donations to The Rainbow Centre have helped provide an education and a safe haven to hundreds of children who live in appalling conditions. The wonderful Backlisted team also covered the book on one of their podcasts, which you can find here. I felt that if I couldn't do it in the present, suggesting internal pain by performance, then I wouldn't really want to do it at all.

His wife is young and beautiful, and Birkin gradually comes to fall in love with her, but in a romantic rather than a passionate sense, almost as an obligatory part of a summer idyll. Perhaps it only seems that way when enough years have passed for harsh reality to have been hidden beneath several layers of whitewash. First American edition copy of this evocative short novel, winner of the 1980 Guardian fiction prize.Running through the tale was the caring understanding that there are some things that cannot be spoken of but can be acknowledged. This 'New' condition hardback was published by The Folio Society circa 1999 and has an equally 'New' condition slip case. I read this book years ago at the prompting of a friend who said I would never find anything so beautiful and touching as this jewel of a novel. As well as the bittersweet reverie of looking back across a lifetime at events and people who made up previous life.