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Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont
A Virago Modern Classic
Series: Virago Modern Classics
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 12,019 ratings, 1,806 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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See moreA humorous and compassionate look at friendship between an old woman and a young man.
*A humorous and compassionate look at the blossoming friendship between an old woman and a young man.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont is, for me, her masterpiece - Robert McCrum, Guardian, 'The Best 100 Novels'
An author of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth - SARAH WATERS
Jane Austen, Elizabeth Taylor, Elizabeth Bowen - soul-sisters all - ANNE TYLER
On a rainy Sunday in January, the recently widowed Mrs Palfrey arrives at the Claremont Hotel where she will spend her remaining days. Her fellow residents are magnificently eccentric and endlessly curious, living off crumbs of affection and snippets of gossip. Together, upper lips stiffened, they fight off their twin enemies: boredom and the Grim Reaper.
Then one day Mrs Palfrey strikes up an unlikely friendship with an impoverished young writer, Ludo, who sees her as inspiration for his novel.
Elizabeth Taylor's exquisitely drawn character study of eccentricity in old age is a sharp and witty portrait of genteel postwar English life facing the changes taking shape in the 60s. Much of the reader's joy lies in the exquisite subtlety in Taylor's depiction of all the relationships, the sharp brevity of her wit, and the apparently effortless way the plot unfolds - Robert McCrum, the 100 best novels, Guardian
Series: Virago Modern Classics
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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?
Mrs Palfrey At The Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor is hailed as a gem in British fiction, offering a keen exploration of human emotions and relationships. Critics praise her as an exceptional novelist who deftly navigates the complexities of the heart. The book is recognised for its humour and honesty in portraying the sometimes unintentional cruelties people inflict on one another, making it a delightful discovery for new readers.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781844083213
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 06 April 2006
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Virago Press Ltd
Contributors:
- Introduction by Paul Bailey
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 13.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 195.0mm
Weight: 170g
Pages: 208
About the Author
Elizabeth Taylor (1912-1975) was born and educated in Reading. After leaving school she worked as a governess and later in a library. She lived much of her married life in the village of Penn in Buckinghamshire. In 1984 ANGEL was selected by the Book Marketing Council's 'Best Novels of Our Time'.
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