A Spool of Blue Thread
by Tyler, Anne
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- See description
- ISBN 10
- 0701189517
- ISBN 13
- 9780701189518
- Seller
-
Skipton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Reviews
"There was nothing remarkable about the Whitshanks. None of them was famous. None of them could claim exceptional intelligence. And in looks, they were no more than average…. But like most families, they imagined they were special. They took great pride, for instance, in their fix-it skills… all of them were convinced that they had better taste than the rest of the world…disappointments seemed to escape the family's notice, though. That was another of their quirks: they had a talent for pretending that everything was fine"
A Spool of Blue Thread is the twentieth adult novel by award-winning American author, Anne Tyler. The Whitshank House on Bouton Rd, lovingly, carefully and painstakingly built by Junior Whitshank for Mr. Ernest Brill, was eventually home to Junior, Linnie Mae and their children, Merrick and Redcliffe. Later, Red and Abby brought up their four, Amanda, Jeannie, Denny and Stem, within its walls. It was built for a family and stood the test of time. And here is where the family gathers when Red and Abby begin to cope less well than they always did.
The issue of how to manage ageing parents is something common to most families; after their first solution fails, another is decided upon, but frictions arise between siblings when the (sort of) black sheep turns up to help. Old jealousies and frustrations surface, and in the course of events, certain secrets are revealed. Tyler has a singular talent for taking ordinary people doing ordinary things and keeping the reader enthralled and endeared. Her pace is sedate, her descriptive prose, gorgeous, her dialogue, realistic.
The narrative is split into four parts: the first tells, from multiple perspectives, of present day events in the Whitshank family, with plenty of references to the immediate (and less immediate) past; the second is from Abby's viewpoint, and details the day she fell in love with Red; the third gives Junior's point of view of events surrounding his early encounters with Linnie Mae and the start of their family life; the last, again from several perspectives, describes the present-day leave-taking from the Bouton Rd house.
Another novel that is characteristically Anne Tyler: funny, moving, thought-provoking and, again, quite brilliant.
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Details
- Bookseller
- C L Hawley (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 24344
- Title
- A Spool of Blue Thread
- Author
- Tyler, Anne
- Format/Binding
- Hardback
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN 10
- 0701189517
- ISBN 13
- 9780701189518
- Publisher
- Chatto and Windus,
- Date Published
- 2015
- Keywords
- Anne Tyler,American literature,American novel
Terms of Sale
C L Hawley
As of 1st January 2019 we can no longer ship to Germany. Prices do not include postage and packaging; please ask for details specifying surface or air shipment if you are outside the UK. Payment can be by most major credit or debit cards. Payment can also be by cheque, in pounds sterling, made payable to C L Hawley. We can take other currencies only on payment of a currency conversion fee. Books found not to be as described may be returned, within 14 days, for a full refund. Please contact us before returning the book.
About the Seller
C L Hawley
About C L Hawley
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Reprint
- Any printing of a book which follows the original edition. By definition, a reprint is not a first edition.
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...