Learning to talk : stories / Hilary Mantel.
"In the wake of Hilary Mantel's brilliant conclusion to her award-winning Wolf Hall trilogy, this collection of loosely autobiographical stories locates the transforming moments of a haunted childhood. Sharp and funny, these drawn-from-life stories begin in the 1950s in an insular northern village "scoured by bitter winds and rough gossip tongues." For the child narrator, the only way to survive is to get up, get on, get out. In "King Billy Is a Gentleman," the child must come to terms with the loss of a father and the puzzle of a fading Irish heritage. "Curved Is the Line of Beauty" is a story of friendship, faith, and a near-disaster in a scrap-yard. The title story sees our narrator ironing out her northern vowels with the help of an ex-actress with one lung and a Manchester accent. In "Third Floor Rising," she watches, amazed, as her mother carves out a stylish new identity. With a deceptively light touch, Mantel illuminates the poignant experiences of childhood that leave each of us forever changed"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781250865366
- ISBN: 1250865360
- Physical Description: xiii, 157 pages ; 22 cm
- Edition: First U.S. edition.
- Publisher: New York : Henry Holt and Company, 2022.
- Copyright: ©2003
Content descriptions
Formatted Contents Note: | King Billy is a gentleman -- Destroyed -- Curved is the line of beauty -- Learning to talk -- Third floor rising -- The clean slate -- Giving up the ghost. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Children > Fiction. Parent and child > Fiction. |
Genre: | Short stories. Autobiographical fiction. |
Available copies
- 23 of 24 copies available at SPARK Libraries.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 24 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abington Community Library | FICTION MANTEL (Text) | 50687011784553 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
Albright Memorial Library | FICTION MANTEL (Text) | 50686016190824 | Adult Fiction | Checked Out | 05/08/2024 |
Annie Halenbake Ross Library | F Man (Text)
Memorial:
In remembrance of Dorothy Nestlerode by Charles and Bonnie Rosamilia
|
00155158 | ADULT Fiction | Available | - |
Dillsburg Area Public Library | Adults MAN Fiction (Text) | 34001001417979 | Adult Area | Available | - |
DuBois Public Library | FIC MANTEL (Text) | 61000100083423 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
Emmaus Public Library | FIC MANTEL, HILARY (Text) | 36446002066721 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
Exeter Community Library | MAN (Text) | 33249025338595 | Fiction | Available | - |
Fleetwood Area Public Library | FC MAN BCPL FLOATING COLLECTION (Text) | 33249025261409 | Fiction | Available | - |
Highland Community Library | F MAN (Text) | 35610000996012 | HGHM Fiction | Available | - |
Indian Valley Public Library | Fiction Mantel (Text) | 39427103661559 | Fiction Room: Adult Fiction | Available | - |
Summary:
"In the wake of Hilary Mantel's brilliant conclusion to her award-winning Wolf Hall trilogy, this collection of loosely autobiographical stories locates the transforming moments of a haunted childhood. Sharp and funny, these drawn-from-life stories begin in the 1950s in an insular northern village "scoured by bitter winds and rough gossip tongues." For the child narrator, the only way to survive is to get up, get on, get out. In "King Billy Is a Gentleman," the child must come to terms with the loss of a father and the puzzle of a fading Irish heritage. "Curved Is the Line of Beauty" is a story of friendship, faith, and a near-disaster in a scrap-yard. The title story sees our narrator ironing out her northern vowels with the help of an ex-actress with one lung and a Manchester accent. In "Third Floor Rising," she watches, amazed, as her mother carves out a stylish new identity. With a deceptively light touch, Mantel illuminates the poignant experiences of childhood that leave each of us forever changed"--