Ingram
Unexpectedly learning of her father's love affair, Anne Linton examines the realities of her own life, her childhood, and her husband to discover what they actually know of her.
From the Back Cover
In The Road to Lichfield, Penelope Lively explores the nature of history and memory as it is embodied in the life of a forty-year-old woman, Anne Linton, who unexpectedly learns that her father had a mistress. With this new knowledge, Linton must now examine the realities of her own life-of her childhood, her husband-and ask, What do they really know of her? Deeply felt, beautifully controlled, The Road to Lichfield is a subtle exploration of memory and identity, of chance and consequence, of the intricate weave of generations across a past never fully known, a future never fully anticipated.
"The plot of The Road to Lichfield is exquisitely constructed, and the language shimmers. . . . A journey of self-discovery-the narrative urges the reader to contemplate the larger context in which people everywhere live out their individual dramas."-Wendy Martin, San Francisco Chronicle
"A flawless novel about the role of the past by one of Britain's best."- Donna Seaman, Booklist (starred review)
"Like all of Lively's best novels, The Road to Lichfield contains beneath its modest veneer great depths of intelligence, perception and feeling, not to mention a thoroughly believable and interesting cast of characters."-Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World
"Uplifting energy . . . It breathes life into characters and seizes readers. . . . A refreshing validation of the positive aspects of change, and invigorating trust in caprice and whimsicality make The Road to Lichfield stand as a testament of confidence in human nature. Penelope Lively's spirited observations, her vivid and concise style, increase our enjoyment of the book."-Ladyce Pereira-Leite, Raleigh News & Observer
