From Amazon.com
Angus Wilson achieved literary notoriety with the publication of his 1953 novel
Hemlock and After. It was five years later, however, with the release of his masterpiece
The Middle Age of Mrs. Eliot that he secured a lasting place in British letters. This work, a compassionate portrait of a newly widowed women in her mid-40s who wants to do good in a world that does not need her, remains as vibrant and moving as it did 40 years ago. Wilson's prose is smart and his portrayal of self-deception bred of loneliness is deeply disturbing. Yet, in spite of this, Wilson's beautiful use of language wedded to his psychological insights, make
The Middle Age of Mrs. Eliot a pleasure to read.
Ingram
With this novel, many argue, Wilson has created fiction's greatest female character. As the wife of a barrister, Meg Eliot harbors a great deal of guilt over the privileged life she leads. However, she is soon forced to confront her own tragedy when she is shockingly widowed. Drawing on her own strength she learns to rebuild her life as a woman on her own.
