- Mass Market Paperback: 1 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Canada (APB); Open market ed edition (July 3 1986)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0140081577
- ISBN-13: 978-0140081572
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.7 x 1.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 227 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,675,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
These 10 gentle tales about uncertain young people and eccentric aging ones take place in London, its suburbs and remote corners of Scotland. The title story is an autobiographical account of the author's childhood in rural Scotland interwoven with an imagined chronicle of her stepmother's young life. The narrator's stern parents insist that she keep a list of her Christmas gifts: "All exclamations of joy were cut short by the command, 'Write it down. Write it down.' " Her stepmother's photograph collection includes more pictures of Bran, her "moody, greedy, erratic and irascible" dog than of her father. Livesey's pieces are simple and engaging, but the intense emotional subtext may have less significance for her audience than for the author.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
TOUCHING, WELL-DRAWN PORTRAITS,
By
This review is from: Learning By Heart (Mass Market Paperback)
It's too bad for fans of Margot Livesey's fine work -- and, indeed, for readers in general -- that this book is so hard to find. Her first published work, a collection of short stories, LEARNING BY HEART is on the surface entertaining and well-written -- on a deeper level, one can easily see the the subtleties of style and the incredible abilities of Margot Livesey already at work.As readers of her novels have come to appreciate, Ms. Livesey is extremely adept in developing her characters. In the 10 stories contained in this volume, she unfolds them before us as one would gently turn the pages of an old, fragile book -- carefully, with great respect. Their lives open before us naturally -- they are never shoved into our face or our consciousness. This, combined with an attention to detail, fulfilling descriptive talents and an imagination from which springs compelling and completely believable stories and situations, make this an excellent showcase for a fine writer -- an entertaining and satisfying reading experience. There is a particular grace with which she portrays human relationships -- be they among relatives or lovers or friends. With insight and compassion -- and never turning a blind eye to the harder areas of the human psyche -- she allows the individual facets of these relationships to merge into beautiful gems, much as a jeweller exercises skill in transforming what appears to be a rough stone into a thing of incredible beauty. Her characters are not drawn as saints -- they have their foibles and drawbacks -- they are human beings, no more and no less. Through the lens of a writer's camera, Margot Livesey allows us to see that humanity in them. We may not approve of everything they do, but we can see that humanity -- and from that sight grows understanding. This ability is one that has continued to grow and mature throughout her writing. Since the publication of this collection in 1986, Margot Livesey has published several excellent novels -- if you're unfamiliar with her work, you should get busy. You're missing some of the best, most intelligent contemporary fiction available anywhere.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review) 6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
TOUCHING, WELL-DRAWN PORTRAITS,
By Larry L. Looney - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Learning By Heart (Mass Market Paperback)
It's too bad for fans of Margot Livesey's fine work -- and, indeed, for readers in general -- that this book is so hard to find. Her first published work, a collection of short stories, LEARNING BY HEART is on the surface entertaining and well-written -- on a deeper level, one can easily see the the subtleties of style and the incredible abilities of Margot Livesey already at work.As readers of her novels have come to appreciate, Ms. Livesey is extremely adept in developing her characters. In the 10 stories contained in this volume, she unfolds them before us as one would gently turn the pages of an old, fragile book -- carefully, with great respect. Their lives open before us naturally -- they are never shoved into our face or our consciousness. This, combined with an attention to detail, fulfilling descriptive talents and an imagination from which springs compelling and completely believable stories and situations, make this an excellent showcase for a fine writer -- an entertaining and satisfying reading experience. There is a particular grace with which she portrays human relationships -- be they among relatives or lovers or friends. With insight and compassion -- and never turning a blind eye to the harder areas of the human psyche -- she allows the individual facets of these relationships to merge into beautiful gems, much as a jeweller exercises skill in transforming what appears to be a rough stone into a thing of incredible beauty. Her characters are not drawn as saints -- they have their foibles and drawbacks -- they are human beings, no more and no less. Through the lens of a writer's camera, Margot Livesey allows us to see that humanity in them. We may not approve of everything they do, but we can see that humanity -- and from that sight grows understanding. This ability is one that has continued to grow and mature throughout her writing. Since the publication of this collection in 1986, Margot Livesey has published several excellent novels -- if you're unfamiliar with her work, you should get busy. You're missing some of the best, most intelligent contemporary fiction available anywhere. |
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