Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?
A memoir of identity, love, and the search for happiness
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Vintage Publishing
Published:12th Apr '12
£9.99
Available to order, but very limited on stock - if we have issues obtaining a copy, we will let you know.
This memoir offers a profound look into Jeanette Winterson's life, illuminating the struggles behind Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit and the quest for happiness.
In Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?, Jeanette Winterson explores the complexities of her upbringing and the emotional turmoil that shaped her. This memoir serves as a companion to her acclaimed novel, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, offering readers a deeper understanding of her life experiences. Winterson recounts her childhood in a strict religious household, where her identity and desires often clashed with her mother's expectations. Through candid reflections, she reveals the struggles of being an adopted child and the longing for acceptance and love.
The narrative is infused with both humor and heartbreak, as Winterson navigates her journey of self-discovery. She delves into the themes of love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness, all while maintaining a fierce appreciation for life. The book highlights the challenges she faced in forging her own identity amidst societal and familial pressures. It is a testament to resilience and the human spirit's capacity for growth.
Ultimately, Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is not just a memoir; it is an exploration of what it means to be true to oneself. Winterson's honest and generous prose invites readers to reflect on their own lives and the pursuit of authenticity, making it a poignant read for anyone seeking to understand the intricacies of love and belonging.
Unforgettable… It’s the best book I have ever read about the cost of growing up. -- Daisy Goodwin * Sunday Times *
A searingly felt and expressed autobiography…Funny and profoundly hopeful – a tale of survival -- Kate Hamer * Metro *
This book is good, sensible, beautiful company… Try this -- A.L. Kennedy * Week *
Jeanette Winterson’s writing is poetic, emotive and beautiful * So Many Books So Little Time (blog) *
Incredibly moving and full of Winterson’s characteristic wit. * Elle *
A memoir of a childhood shot through with fire-and-brimstone parenting, resilience and survival. The disturbing portrait of her adoptive mother is balanced by Winterson’s crisp wit. -- Juliet Nicolson * Week *
Jeanette Winterson is a uniquely brilliant writer. She has such a mischievous sense of humour -- Amelia Abraham * Buro *
Vivid, unpredictable, and sometimes mind-rattling memoir... This book... which had been funny enough to make me laugh out loud more times than is advisable on the No 12 bus - turns into something raw and unnerving -- Julie Myerson * Observer *
This is certainly the most moving book of Winterson's I have ever read... but it wriggles with humour... At one point I was crying so much I had tears in my ears. There is much here that is impressive, but what I find most unusual about it is the way it deepens one's sympathy, for everyone involved -- Zoe Williams * Guardian *
In the 26 years since the publication of her highly acclaimed first novel, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit, Jeanette Winterson has proved herself a writer of startling invention, originality and style. Her combination of the magical and the earthy, the rapturous and the matter-of-fact, is unique. It is a strange and felicitous gift, as if the best of Gabriel Garcia Marquez was combined with the best of Alan Bennett... This remarkable account is, among other things, a powerful argument for reading... This memoir is brave and beautiful, a testament to the forces of intelligence, heart and imagination. It is a marvellous book and generous one * Spectator *
ISBN: 9780099556091
Dimensions: 198mm x 129mm x 15mm
Weight: 170g
240 pages