A Far Cry from Kensington (New Directions Classics) - Softcover

Spark, Muriel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0811214575 ISBN 13: 9780811214575

Publisher: New Directions, 2000

Synopsis

Mrs. Hawkins, the majestic narrator of A Far Cry from Kensington, takes us well in hand, and leads us back to her threadbare years in postwar London. There, as a fat and much admired young war widow, she spent her days working for a mad, near-bankrupt publisher ("of very good books") and her nights dispensing advice at her small South Kensington rooming-house. At work and at home Mrs. Hawkins soon uncovered evil: shady literary doings and a deadly enemy; anonymous letters, blackmail, and suicide. With aplomb, however, Mrs. Hawkins confidently set about putting things to order, little imagining the mayhem which would ensue. Now decades older, thin, successful, and delighted with life in Italy -- quite a far cry from Kensington -- Mrs. Hawkins looks back to all those dark doings, and recounts how her own life changed forever. She still, however, loves to give advice: "It's easy to get thin. You eat and drink the same as always, only half....I offer this advice without fee; it is included in the price of this book." A masterwork by "Britain's greatest living novelist" (Sunday Telegraph, 1999), A Far Cry from Kensington has been hailed as "outstanding" (The Observer) and "wickedly and adroitly executed" (The New York Times). "Far Cry is, among other things, a comedy that holds a tragedy as an egg-cup holds an egg" (Philadelphia Inquirer).

About this title

Review

'The divine Spark is shining at her brightest... Pure delight' --Independent

Book Description

The divine Spark is shining at her brightest . . . Pure delight' Claire Tomalin, INDEPENDENT

Edition details

• Publisher: New Directions
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0811214575
• ISBN 13: 9780811214575
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192