A vibrant new novel from Penelope Lively--a wry, wise story about
the surprising ways lives intersect
Look out for Penelope Lively's new book, The Purple Swamp Hen and Other
Stories.
When Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, is accosted by a
petty thief on a London street, the consequences ripple across the lives
of acquaintances and strangers alike. A marriage unravels after an
illicit love affair is revealed through an errant cell phone message; a
posh yet financially strapped interior designer meets a business partner
who might prove too good to be true; an old-guard historian tries to
recapture his youthful vigor with an ill-conceived idea for a TV
miniseries; and a middle-aged central European immigrant learns to speak
English and reinvents his life with the assistance of some new friends.
Through a richly conceived and colorful cast of characters, Penelope
Lively explores the powerful role of chance in people's lives and deftly
illustrates how our paths can be altered irrevocably by someone we will
never even meet. Brought to life in her hallmark graceful prose and full
of keen insights into human nature, How It All Began is an engaging,
contemporary tale that is sure to strike a chord with her legion of
loyal fans as well as new readers. A writer of rare wisdom, elegance,
and humor, Lively is a consummate storyteller whose gifts are on full
display in this masterful work.