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A Month in the Country

By J L Carr
Series: Penguin Essentials
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
A Month in the Country by J L Carr is a poignant exploration of healing and discovery set in post-World War I rural England. The story follows a war veteran named Tom Birkin, who spends a summer in a Yorkshire village restoring a medieval mural in a church. As Birkin delves into the painting, he finds solace and a deeper connection to the community and its history, leading to personal revelations and a quiet transformation.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're drawn to beautifully crafted, introspective stories exploring love, memory, and healing in the English countryside. It's perfect for readers who appreciate character-driven narratives with poignant reflections on the aftermath of war and the power of art to restore the human spirit.

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One summer, just after the Great War, Tom Birkin, a demobbed soldier, arrives in the village of Oxgodby. He has been invited to uncover and restore a medieval wall painting in the local church. At the same time, Charles Moon - a fellow damaged survivor of the war - has been asked to locate the grave of a village ancestor.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A haunting novel about art and its power to heal, published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.

That night, for the first time during many months, I slept like the dead and, next morning, awoke very early.

One summer, just after the Great War, Tom Birkin, a demobbed soldier, arrives in the village of Oxgodby. He has been invited to uncover and restore a medieval wall painting in the local church. At the same time, Charles Moon—a fellow damaged survivor of the war—has been asked to locate the grave of a village ancestor. As these two outsiders go about their work of recovery, they form a bond, but they also stir up long dormant passions within the village. What Birkin discovers here will stay with him for the rest of his life.

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Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

A Month in the Country by J L Carr is often praised for its evocative prose and the poignant exploration of healing and redemption. Readers appreciate the novel's rich depiction of post-World War I England and its reflective, melancholic tone. Critics highlight the book's subtle warmth and the beautifully crafted character development.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780241972038

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 14 August 2014

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 7.0mm

Width: 111.0mm

Height: 181.0mm

Weight: 68g

Pages: 112

Collections

Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction J L Carr Literary Fiction Penguin Books Series: Penguin Essentials

About the Author

James Lloyd Carr, born 1912, attended the village school at Carlton Miniott in the North Riding and Castleford Secondary School. He died in Northamptonshire in 1994. His novel A Month in the Country won the Guardian Fiction Prize, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and made into a memorable film.

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