How it All Began
How it All Began by Penelope Lively is a vibrant novel published by Viking in 2012, featuring 229 pages in English. The story begins when Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, encounters a petty thief on a London street, setting off a chain reaction that affects the lives of both acquaintances and strangers. The narrative unfolds through various characters, including a marriage strained by an illicit affair, a financially troubled interior designer, an old historian seeking renewal, and a central European immigrant learning English.
Readers will find a richly conceived exploration of how chance events can irrevocably alter lives. The novel delves into the interconnectedness of human experiences, showcasing Lively’s hallmark prose filled with insights into human nature. Through its colorful cast, How it All Began illustrates the surprising ways lives intersect, making it a contemporary tale that resonates with themes of fate and personal transformation.
Official synopsis Publisher
A vibrant new novel from Penelope Lively-a wry, wise story about the surprising ways lives intersect.
When Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, is accosted by a petty thief on a London street, the consequences ripple across the lives of acquaintances and strangers alike. A marriage unravels after an illicit love affair is revealed through an errant cell phone message; a posh yet financially strapped interior designer meets a business partner who might prove too good to be true; an old-guard historian tries to recapture his youthful vigor with an ill-conceived idea for a TV miniseries; and a middle-aged central European immigrant learns to speak English and reinvents his life with the assistance of some new friends.
Through a richly conceived and colorful cast of characters, Penelope Lively explores the powerful role of chance in people’s lives and deftly illustrates how our paths can be altered irrevocably by someone we will never even meet. Brought to life in her hallmark graceful prose and full of keen insights into human nature, How It All Began is an engaging, contemporary tale that is sure to strike a chord with her legion of loyal fans as well as new readers. A writer of rare wisdom, elegance, and humor, Lively is a consummate storyteller whose gifts are on full display in this masterful work.
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