All About Books discussion

As we approach the end of this list, Robert McCrum has chosen the 1988 novel The Beginning of Spring by Penelope Fitzgerald.

McCrum's review starts off with: "Penelope Fitzgerald published her first novel in 1977 and won the Booker prize with Offshore in 1979, aged 63. Not since Daniel Defoe (No 2 in this series) has a writer, and self-styled outsider, enjoyed such a remarkable late flowering of imaginative creativity. Before she died, at 83, in 2000, Fitzgerald had published nine novels in about 20 years. In the US, The Blue Flower (1995) is her best-known book, but The Beginning of Spring is probably her masterpiece. Like many of the greatest novels in this series, its peculiar magic almost defies analysis. The closer you get to it, the more elusive its mystery and technique. It remains a brilliant miniature, spanning just a few weeks in 1913, a short book with a sly and gentle sensibility, that somehow comprehends a whole world, and many lives."

You can read the Guardian's article here.

I haven't read this but I have read the other two McCrum mentions, Offshore and The Blue Flower. I didn't much care for Offshore but thought The Blue Flower was interesting albeit a tad strange. Several people have recommended The Bookshop to me as Fitzgerald's best book so I was surprised by the choice of The Beginning of Spring.

I enjoyed Offshore, but haven't read anything else by Fitzgerald. I must look into this.

I have The Bookshop to read on my kindle, but haven't read anything yet by Fitzgerald. I would like to read The Blue Flower.

Never read anythiong by her; I'll give a look if I can find something ...

I've heard of her but never read anything by her