How It All Began A Novel
How It All Began A Novel by Penelope Lively is a reprint edition published by Penguin on November 27, 2012, featuring 240 pages in English. This novel presents a wry and wise narrative that explores the unexpected ways in which lives intersect. The story begins when Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, encounters a petty thief in London, setting off a chain reaction that affects both acquaintances and strangers. The plot weaves through various characters, including a marriage strained by infidelity, a financially troubled interior designer, and a historian seeking to revive his youth.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of interconnected lives, where a single event leads to significant changes in relationships and personal journeys. The narrative delves into themes of family life, humor, and the complexities of human connections. As characters navigate their challenges, from love affairs to reinvention, the novel illustrates how chance encounters can alter the course of lives in profound ways. This engaging work showcases Penelope Lively’s storytelling prowess, offering a thoughtful examination of the human experience.
Official synopsis Publisher
A vibrant novel from Booker Prize winner 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.
In this engaging, utterly absorbing and brilliantly told novel, Penelope Lively shows us how one random event can cause marriages to fracture and heal themselves, opportunities to appear and disappear, lovers who might never have met to find each other and entire lives to become irrevocably changed.
Funny, humane, touching, sly and sympathetic, How It All Began is a brilliant sleight of hand from an author at the top of her game.
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