Instructions For a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
Maggie O’Farrell is the author of After You’d Gone, winner of a Betty Trask Award; My Lover’s Lover; The Distance Between Us, winner of a Somerset Maugham Award; The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox; The Hand That First Held Mine, winner of a Costa Novel Award; and Instructions for a Heatwave, shortlisted for the Costa Award.
Reviews
Review this book!
On Dec 3, 2013, CloggieDownunder said
Instructions For A Heatwave is the sixth novel by British author, Maggie O’Farrell. On a July Thursday at the height of Britain’s 1976 heatwave, Robert Riordan goes out as usual for the morning paper but doesn’t return. When no trace of him can be found, his wife, Gretta calls her daughter in Gloucester, Monica, who is having a drama of her own. Eventually, Gretta’s son, Michael Francis manages to contact his younger sister, Aoife in New York, and the siblings come together at their family home to decide what is to be done. It is a gathering filled with tensions, as Aoife and Monica have been estranged for years. Not only that, but undercurrents flow as each character is dealing with shameful secrets of their own. While this could make for heavy going, the dialogue between the characters, the family dynamics and some moments of delicious irony provide a comic relief that lifts the story. As O’Farrell skilfully builds her story, the various mysteries, some from more than thirty years ago, unfold over four days. Abortion, dyslexia, divorce, betrayal, adultery, draft dodging, a dead cat, an Irish convent and a deep abiding love all feature. O’Farrell’s characters are interesting and complex; they are larger than life and so very real. Her prose is a joy to experience: the feel of the heatwave is expertly conveyed and the descriptions are wonderfully evocative. “And then, it seemed to Monica, the baby opened her mouth and started to scream and that she did not stop screaming for a long time. ……She screamed if laid flat, even for a moment…….her legs would work up and down, as if she was a toy with a winding mechanism, her face would crumple in on itself and the room would fill with jagged sounds that could have cut you, if you’d stood too close.” and “She cannot read. She cannot do that thing that other people find so artlessly easy: to see arrangements of inked shapes on a page and alchemise them into meaning.” are just two examples. A brilliant read.
Available Copies
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358823
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
€3.04
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
€3.04
Instructions for a Heatwave
by Maggie O'Farrell
- Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Published
- 2013
- ISBN
- 9781472206381
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Manchester, GBR
- Item Price
-
€14.18
Show Details
Description:
First edition, first printing, in fine condition in fine unclipped dustwrapper. Item Price
€14.18
More Photos
Instructions for a Heatwave
by Maggie O'Farrell
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- none
- Edition
- First paperback edition
- Published
- 2013
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Los Angeles, California, USA
- Item Price
-
€11.20
Show Details
Description:
Instructions for a Heatwave, Maggie O'Farrell, published by Tinder Press (2013) imprint of Headline Publishing Group, UK, Printed and Bound in UK by Clays Ltd, London, ISBN 9780755358793, 324 pages, about 5-1/8 x 7-3/4 x 1 in. Paperback book in good condition, covers are bright, glossy, with wear at edges/corners, spine has minor creasing, pages are crisp unmarked but are… Read more about this item Item Price
€11.20
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell Maggie
- Condition
- Used
- Jacket Condition
- Dust Jacket Included
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2013
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780755358786
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
London, Greater London, GBR
- Item Price
-
€29.55
Show Details
Description:
London: Tinder Press, 2013 Nearr fine book usual page tanning in a near fine dust jacket with minor edge creasing mostly at the head of the spine. First edition, first printing. Included is a loosely inserted bookplate signed by the author.. Signed Bookplate Loosely Inserted. First Edition. Hard Cover. Item Price
€29.55
Instructions for a Heatwave: The bestselling novel from the prize-winning author of THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT and HAMNET
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
€0.93
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Good. Item Price
€0.93
Instructions for a Heatwave: A novel (Vintage Contemporaries)
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 2014-05-05
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780345804716
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Tequesta, Florida, USA
- Item Price
-
€7.74
Show Details
Description:
Vintage, 2014-05-05. paperback. Very Good. 5x0x7. This Book is in Very Good condition.All items ship within 24 hours. Packaging is 100% Recyclable. Most items purchased from Charitable organizations. A portion of each sale is also donated to a monthly charity, check your package for this months charity. Reuse-Recycle-Rebook! Item Price
€7.74
Instructions for a Heatwave
by Maggie O'Farrell
- Condition
- Used
- ISBN
- 9780755358823
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Morrinsville, NZL
- Item Price
-
€4.67
Show Details
Description:
Hodder & Stoughton, UK, 2013 Paperback. Condition: Good Plus. Light reading wear. very clean interior. . Item Price
€4.67
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781472206381
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
€3.04
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Acceptable. Item Price
€3.04
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781472206381
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
€3.04
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
€3.04
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781472206381
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
€3.04
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Good. Item Price
€3.04
Instructions for a Heatwave
by OFarrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used; Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Milton Keynes , Buckinghamshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
€4.24
Show Details
Description:
Tinder Press. Paperback. Used; Good. Simply Brit welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring theres something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped… Read more about this item Item Price
€4.24
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2013
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
€5.65
Show Details
Description:
Tinder Press, 2013. Paperback. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
€5.65
Instructions for a Heatwave
by OFarrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used; Good
- Published
- 08/29/2013
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
London, Greater London, GBR
- Item Price
-
€4.12
Show Details
Description:
Tinder Press, 08/29/2013. Paperback. Used; Good. **WE SHIP WITHIN 24 HRS FROM LONDON, UK, 98% OF OUR ORDERS ARE RECEIVED WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books. Item Price
€4.12
Instructions for a Heatwave: The bestselling novel from the prize-winning author of THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT and HAMNET
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
€1.18
Show Details
Description:
Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
€1.18
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Near fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near fine
- Edition
- First UK edition-first printing
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780755358786
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Southampton, Hampshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
€24.11
Show Details
Description:
Tinder Press. First UK edition-first printing. Hardcover. Near fine/Near fine. Near fine condition.Tinder Press,2013.First UK edition-first printing.Blue hardback(gilt lettering to the spine,small dent on the edge of the cover) with Dj(two creases and small nicks on the edges of the Dj cover),both in near fine condition.Nice and clean pages as new with a couple of creases on the… Read more about this item Item Price
€24.11
Instructions for a Heatwave : The Bestselling Novel from the Prize-Winning Author of the MARRIAGE PORTRAIT and HAMNET
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Dunfermline, Fife, GBR
- Item Price
-
€5.81
Show Details
Description:
Headline Publishing Group. Used - Good. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
€5.81
Instructions for a Heatwave : The Bestselling Novel from the Prize-Winning Author of HAMNET
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Dunfermline, Fife, GBR
- Item Price
-
€5.29
Show Details
Description:
Headline Publishing Group. Used - Good. Ships from the UK. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
€5.29
Instructions for a Heatwave
by Maggie O'Farrell
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 2013
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780755358793
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
€5.65
Show Details
Description:
Tinder Press, 2013. Paperback. Acceptable. Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
€5.65
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- ISBN
- 9780385349406
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Mishawaka, Indiana, USA
- Item Price
-
€6.76
Show Details
Description:
Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. Used - Very Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Item Price
€6.76
Instructions for a Heatwave
by O'Farrell, Maggie
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 2013
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780385349406
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
€5.82
Show Details
Description:
Knopf Publishing Group, 2013. Hardcover. Good. Former library book; Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
€5.82