Jean Baggott is 'the girl on the wall' - a 1948 photograph taken of her when she was eleven - whose life was never going to be remarkable and the pinnacle of whose achievements would come from being a wife and a mother. Almost 60 years later, with her children gone, dealing with the loss of the love of her life, Jean began the education denied to her as a girl. Inspired by ceilings of Lincolnshire's Burghley House and by the History degree she had begun, Jean began to stitch a tapestry which looked back at her life and the changing world around her. It took sixteen months to complete. The tapestry consists of over 70 intersecting circles, each telling some aspect of her life. Some represent extraordinary events such as the moon landings or world historical news stories like the Cuban Missile Crisis; some circles comment on famous people and places she remembers, others about the music she loves - Pink Floyd - and the games she played as a child, and growing up during the second world war with her brothers. Each chapter of "The Girl on the Wall" features a circle from the tapestry and Jean's accompanying narrative, exploring the circle and the memories it evokes. It reveals an ordinary life in extraordinary detail. The result is a truly unique, touching portrait of a seemingly average British woman's life. To stand back and look at the tapestry is to be struck by the richness of one human journey - from 1940 to the present day. The girl on the wall would be proud. The book includes a full-colour pull-out of Jean's tapestry inside the back cover.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'It could be the stuff of misery memoirs but in Jean Baggott's nimble fingers, this life's rich tapestry positively shimmers.' Sunday Herald 'Stop all the reading clocks because the most exquisite book arrived yesterday; it's quite taken my breath away - the writing style is knowledgeable yet unpretentious and with an intimacy that reveals Jean to be a wonderful raconteur.' DoveGrey Reader.com 'Could the next big thing to hit the galleries of Hoxton be a fluffy-haired Midlands grandmother who never likes to stray far from her pincushion? Judging by a most extraordinary new book, The Girl on the Wall, and the phenomenal piece of craftwork it is a companion to, there's every chance it could.' Sunday Telegraph
--This text refers to the
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About the Author
Jean Baggott was born in 1937 and lives in Warwick, and has lived in various parts of the Midlands for most of her life and She remains passionate about her Black Country roots. She is now in her final year of a degree in History at the University of Warwick.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Book,
This review is from: Girl on the Wall (Hardcover)
This book is beautifully set, the pictures of the tapestry are very well done especially with the complete pull out view at the back. The stories to each tapestry circle are informative, factual and entertaining. Not only is it a personal record with private snippets of her life, it is also a good view into social history of the time. The book would appeal to almost all ages as Jean Baggott takes us from the 1940's through to the early 2000's - there is something here that most people will be able to relate to. Jean Baggott tells her stories in a friendly, chatty manner, it's incredible that in the tapestry and book she can take us from "make do and mend" of the 1940's through to Pink Floyd !!. The tapestry detail though is stunning, the intricate design and work in miniature is extraordinary. I like the fact that it is one of those books that you can just dip in to when the mood strikes.
3.0 out of 5 stars
Well-Done But a Little Jumpy,
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This review is from: The Girl on the Wall (Kindle Edition)
I was really excited when this book was published. As a needleworker, I obviously enjoy books on the subject and stories of how needlework has enhanced the lives of others is something I find interesting.I greatly admire Jean Baggott. I think she accomplished a massive undertaking in this project and did a terrific job. I think the tapestry was a form of therapy for her, and few people start a "new" life as late in the game as she was able to do. The story of her life translates very well, as long as you understand the time and place she's writing about. It is amazing the different attitudes and approaches to everyday life people took decades ago versus today. I doubt her life was an easy one, but she has handled its tale with great dignity. My only issue is the "jumpiness" of topics. Even within each circle of the tapestry, the topics can be varied and she will suddenly veer from one point of discussion to one completely unrelated. Her ability to segue is not well-developed, and that could be because this was an "amateur" piece of writing from a woman who was not privileged enough to seek higher education until much later in life. This being said, it should not prevent anyone who has an interest in needlework particularly (or an interest into the life of another human being throughout a fascinating period of history in general), from enjoying this work.
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