First published in 1967, this novel tells the story of Joy living amongst the shiftless poor in London. Her life is made tolerable by her love for her child. Nell Dunn is the author of "Up the Junction" which won the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize, and the play and film "Steaming".
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Not So Glittering Life of a 1960s English Girl,
This review is from: Poor Cow (Bloomsbury Classic S.) (Hardcover)
Nell Dunn's technique reminds me of some episodic pieces I've read on-line. Each chapter is stark and sharp. We learn about the gritty reality of life for young girls in the 1960s who didn't have time or money to be Mods or intellectuals protesting the social inequalities that surrounded them.Joy makes many wrong choices in love and life. What struck me the most is that she keeps on going. She has a good heart and a dreamer's view on life: always looking ahead or envisioning some small detail to brighten up her life. These details range from a dressing table between two curtained windows to a layette in Spanish lace she plans for a baby should she get preggers again. I'd recommend this book for anyone wanting a window into what it may have been like in 1960s England. Dunn was a Chelsea heiress who went to live in South London or thereabouts when she started her writing career. I think her observations in that enviornment helped give this book the authentic-like details.
3 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Intensely emotional, ironically humorous!,
By Susan Szebelledy (Connecticut, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Poor Cow (Pan books, X714) (Paperback)
Is Joy, the main character, a pathetic, short-sighted loser or a passionate, loving mother, or both? I had trouble deciding. This is the joy of the book. (No pun intended!) You never know what you'll find in the next paragraph--Joy's poor choice of male companionship is frustrating for the reader, yet understandable given her need for affection. Her relationship with her son Jonny is chronicled over a couple of years and is incredibly touching; her intense feelings for Jonny, which could easily have been resentment given Joy's youth, were the highlight of the book for me.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Listmania!
|
|
