Mantrapped - Hardcover

Weldon, Fay

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007194536 ISBN 13: 9780007194537

Publisher: Fourth Estate, 2004

Synopsis

A wonderful new slice of the bizarre from Weldon.

Trisha had been rich and Trisha had been poor, and she knew it was better to be rich. But, even worse, now she was to be stripped of her identity. She is to swap sex, and her very soul, with young, handsome, trendy Peter Watson. She passes him too close upon the stairs, and some might think what happens – a first in mankind's history – is an improvement and some might not. Peter's partner Doralee thinks not.

Mantrapped is the continuing story of Fay Weldon, writer, mother, daughter, sister, cook, campaigner, juggler of life, time, work and money. Like Trisha she has been rich, and like Trisha she has been poor: like Trisha she has been well and truly man trapped, and – unlike Trisha – does not regret one bit. From 1960s London (wild parties, no money) to 1970s Somerset (animals, wild parties, no money) Weldon has lived a life rich in adventure and courage. The things you regret, as she points out, are what you don't do, not what you do.

In this vastly entertaining book she argues that in a world in which the writer can no longer hope to be anonymous, it is devious, and indeed dishonourable, to keep yourself out of your own novels. The reader, hoping for bread, should not be given stones.

About this title

Review:

Praise for Auto da Fay:

‘Wonderfully fluent and entertaining...studded with her trademark gems of crisp observations...you can't put this terrific book down. You can always trust Fay to be provocative – and this time she excels herself.’ Daily Mail

‘Engrossing and entertaining. This is the sort of book stuffed full of things that you hope are made up but fear are true.’ Observer

‘One of the most prolific, entertaining and provocative of contemporary women writers has sought to make retrospective sense of the muddle and unexpectedness of life. Like her novels, the surface sparkles along merrily enough but there are darker currents beneath.’ Sunday Telegraph

‘It is an astonishing story lightly and deftly told. It will delight Weldon's many fans. Gripping.’ Daily Telegraph

‘The rich, fruity haphazardness of her experience will startle and amaze...as they say, you couldn't make it up.’ Sunday Times

'When she's on form – marshalling those elegant, deadly, sentences – there's simply no touching Weldon as a writer.' Liz Hoggard, Observer

'[a] rich, sad, life-affirming book' Independent on Sunday

‘Fay Weldon is a national treasure’ Literary Review

Sunday Times:

'This is a delight!'

About this edition

• Publisher: Fourth Estate
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0007194536
• ISBN 13: 9780007194537
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272