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An Angel At My Table

The Complete Autobiography
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Brief Description
Janet Frame's luminous words are the more precious because they were snatched from the jaws of the disaster of her early life. It is one of the classics of autobiography. She knew that a writer must search her soul in order to say anything that is... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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The acclaimed autobiography of New Zealand's most revered writer. Introduced by Jane Campion, who made An Angel at My Table into an award-winning film.

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Janet Frame's luminous words are the more precious because they were snatched from the jaws of the disaster of her early life. It is one of the classics of autobiography. She knew that a writer must search her soul in order to say anything that is essential – Hilary Mantel

Janet Frame is the greatest New Zealand writer. She is utterly herself. Any one of her books could be published today and it would be ground-breaking – Eleanor Catton

After being misdiagnosed with schizophrenia as a young woman, Janet Frame spent several years in psychiatric institutions. She escaped undergoing a lobotomy when it was discovered that she had just won a national literary prize. She then went on to become New Zealand's most acclaimed writer. As she says more than once in this autobiography: "My writing saved me."

This edition contains all three volumes of Frame's autobiography: To the Is-Land, An Angel at My Table and An Envoy from Mirror City.

One of the most beautiful and moving books I have ever read... A masterpiece... Janet's autobiography had an enormous effect on me. She struck a blow right to my heart – Jane Campion, Guardian

One of the great autobiographies written in the twentieth century – Michael Holroyd, Sunday Times

All my preoccupations as a writer - my notions of home, beauty, madness of sorts and longing - come from her – Meg Mason

Series: Virago Modern Classics

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780349018546

Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 August 2024

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Virago Press Ltd

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Jane Campion

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 480g

Pages: 480

About the Author

Janet Frame (1924-2004) is New Zealand's most famous writer. She was a novelist, poet, essayist and short-story writer. She sought the support and company of fellow writers and set out single-mindedly and courageously to achieve her goal of being a writer. She wrote her first novel, Owls Do Cry while staying with her mentor Frank Sargeson, and then left New Zealand, not to return for seven years.

Her autobiography inspired Jane Campion's acclaimed film, An Angel at My Table. She was an honorary foreign member of the American Academy of Arts and Literature and won the Commonwealth Literature Prize. In 1983 she was awarded the CBE.

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