Maggie ofarrells most popular book is the yellow wallpaper. Hamnet womens prize for fiction winner by maggie o. The character loosely based on anne hathaway shakespeares wife is named agnes, and shakespeare is never referred to by name. Eventbrite the guardian live presents book club with maggie ofarrell thursday, 22 april 2021 find event and ticket information. Hamnet, by maggie ofarrell maggie ofarrell s bravura new novel opens with a terse historical note, which, given that it is set in the elizabethan. Maggie ofarrells hamnet wins book critics award for. It was a strange time because it came out in the u. After youd gone, my lovers lover, the distance between us, which won a somerset maugham award, the vanishing act of esme lennox, the hand that first held mine, which won the 2010 costa novel award, instructions for a heatwave, which. Hamnet searches urgently for help, and is treated cruelly by his drunken. Jul 22, 2020 the deathhaunted inhabit maggie ofarrell s fiction. After youd gone, my lovers lover, the distance between us, which won a somerset maugham award, the vanishing act of esme lennox, the hand that first held mine, which won the 2010 costa novel award, instructions for a heatwave, which was shortlisted for the 20 costa novel award.
Best of maggie ofarrell score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Hamnet book signing with maggie ofarrell shakespeares. Book discussion questions on maggie ofarrells hamnet in hamnet, faggie ofarrell doesnt ever call agnes husband will or shakespeare. By maggie ofarrell hamnet winner of the womens prize for fiction 2020 hardcover 31 mar 2020. Her first novel after youd gone 2000 was praised by edna obrien as beautifully written, and it won the betty trask award. Maggie ofarrell s hamnet is both a brilliant recreation of the lives of william shakespeare and his family in late 16thcentury stratforduponavon and an emotionally intense account of the death of the dramatists young son and its painful aftermath. Ofarrell s novel beat finalists including hilary mantels tudor saga the mirror and the light and bernardine evaristos booker prize. May 12, 2019 maggie ofarrell was born in northern ireland in 1972 and grew up in various locations across wales and scotland. Feb 06, 2018 throughout, the narrative is compelling and visceral.
Maggie ofarrell is the author of the sunday times no. This is a departure for her but on the whole i found it very enjoyable. Children need a book which explains how to build resilience t he awardwinning author reveals how she made up the story of the snow angel as a way. Mar 26, 2021 file author maggie ofarrell poses for the media at the costa book awards in london on jan. Apr 05, 2018 i am i am i am seventeen brushes with death by maggie ofarrell 288 pp. Ofarrell s exceptional awardwinning novel captures a jacobean england haunted by a plague that tragically kills hamnet, the only son of william shakespeare. Her debut novel after youd gone received international acclaim and won the betty trask award. Neither parent knows that one of the children will not survive the week. With one of the largest book inventories in the world, find the book you are looking for.
Maggie ofarrell wrote three other books before giving herself a talking to and finally writing hamnet. Sign up to the harriet evans email newsletter to keep up to date with new releases, author news, and exclusive competitions. Jul 21, 2020 maggie ofarrells new novel confronts a parents worst nightmare. Live event and book signing with maggie ofarrell at. Ive read most of maggie ofarrells books and love her writing. Hamnet discussion questions maggie ofarrell litlovers. I was looking back at my diary and about around the beginning. Maggie ofarrell born 27 may 1972 is an irishbritish novelist.
Sep 09, 2020 london ap maggie ofarrell won the womens prize for fiction on wednesday for hamnet, a novel that explores the lives of william shakespeares oftenmaligned wife and lost son. Unwind the mind with i am, i am, i am, featured book for may. There was going to be a party and a book tour and i thought id wear it to the launch, she says. In 1596, 11yearold hamnets twin sister, judith, comes down with a sudden, severe illness. Ofarrells hamnet wins book critics award for fiction. Ofarrell is offering a reading or interpretation of what might have been. When she was just eight she contracted encephalitis, an experience she describes in a chapter called cerebellum 1980 in her memoir, i am i am i am. Aug 17, 2020 it is refreshing, then, that maggie ofarrell s sterling hamnet steadfastly refuses to indulge in its portrayal of william shakespeare and the personal origins of what is perhaps his greatest play. Childhood brush with death helped make me a better novelist. Live event and book signing with bestselling author maggie ofarrell, introducing the heartstopping story of hamnet. This must be the place, by maggie ofarrell maggie ofarrells novel jumps among multiple storylines, points of view, times and places to tell the story of an american professor who. She has worked as a waitress, chambermaid, bike messenger, teacher, arts administrator, journalist in hong kong and london, and as the more about maggie ofarrell. Born in coleraine, county londonderry, in 1972, hers was a peripatetic childhood courtesy of her fathers academic career.
Aug 07, 2016 this must be the place by maggie ofarrell illustrated. World is crazier and more of it than we think, incorrigibly plural, reads the epigraph to maggie. After youd gone, my lovers lover, the distance between us, which won a somerset maugham award, the vanishing act of esme lennox, the hand that first held mine, which won the 2010 costa novel award, instructions for a heatwave, which was shortlisted for the. Jul 21, 2020 a marriage based on secrecy is threatened in maggie ofarrell s this must be the place that delicate negotiation grows far more perilous when the couple endures the death of a child. Maggie ofarrells shakespeareinspired hamnet wins book. Winner of the national book critics circle award a new york times best seller.
Maggie ofarrell on writing her prescient novel hamnet. Born in northern ireland, maggie now lives in edinburgh. Maggie ofarrells shakespearean hamnet wins womens prize. The stunning new novel from costanovelawardwinning novelist maggie ofarrell. Her 2010 novel the hand that first held mine won at the costa book awards.
Hamnet, winner of the 2020 womens prize for fiction by. This is said by shakespeare who is acting the role of ghost from the play hamlet. In maggie ofarrells new novel, a film star flees the. Ofarrell this must be the place concocts an outstanding masterpiece of shakespearean apocrypha in this tale of an unnamed bards family living in stratforduponavon while his star is rising in london. On a summers day in 1596, a young girl in stratford. A memoir of neardeath experiences the new york times. In this case, its hamnet, the reallife son of william shakespeare, whose death may have inspired hamlet. It is possible to identify many common themes in her work, like loss, the psychological impact of these losses on the lives of her characters, and the relationship between sisters. Last november she published her first childrens book, where snow angels go, about a girl called sylvie, who, like ofarrell and nina in her 2004 novel the distance between us, suffers a long. Hamnet is the eighth novel by awardwinning british author, maggie ofarrell. Jane who is happily married and lives in connecticut is an abstract painter and has had art shows in nyc, hamburg, germany, beverly hills, and stamford, ct. Book club with maggie ofarrell the guardian members. He has sold over 12 million copies of his books worldwide and.
She has worked as a waitress, chambermaid, bike messenger, teacher, arts administrator, and journalist in hong kong and london, and as the deputy literary editor of the independent on sunday. Ofarrell explores both of these conditions in her latest novel, hamnet, in which she imagines the family life of william shakespeare, his wife agnes. Hamnet book signing with maggie ofarrell shakespeares globe. An accomplished writer, ofarrell has published eight novels, a bestselling memoir, and several short stories. It is possible to identify several common themes in her novelsthe relationship between sisters is one, another is loss and the psychological impact of. Perhaps the only downside to the book s organization is that because the stories arent in chronological order, some of them feel repetitive, as the author occasionally provides redundant context about the events in her life. Book club with maggie ofarrell tickets, thu 22 apr 2021 at 19. Mar 26, 2021 maggie ofarrells hamnet an imagined take on the death of shakespeare s son from the bubonic plague, has won the national book critics circle prize for fiction. How would you describe agneswhat kind of a character is she. Jul 21, 2020 imagining the life of the family shakespeare left behind in stratford makes an intriguing change of pace for a veteran storyteller. While ofarrell eschews the sort of buriedsecrets plots that drive the propulsive narratives of such previous novels as instructions for a heatwave 20, her gifts for fullbodied characterization and sensitive rendering of intricate family bonds are on full. Exclusive edition includes clotheffect board jacket and top and tail bands contains an exclusive essay and end papers. Maggie ofarrell born 1972, coleraine northern ireland is a british author of contemporary fiction, who features in waterstones 25 authors for the future.
Childhood brush with death helped make me a better. Hamnet by maggie ofarrell tinder press, 384 pages, paperback 12. This page is run by tinder press, maggie s uk publisher. Hamnet womens prize for fiction winner by maggie ofarrell. Maggie ofarrells sixth book is the work of an outstanding novelist at the height of her powers. Hamnet was going to have to be a pretty special book for me to really buy into the story linking the death of his son with the plays production. Talk about the way in which maggie ofarrells novel speculates that 11yearold hamnets death may have sparked the creation of one of shakespeares greatest tragedies. Maggie ofarrells fiction account is, of course, utter conjecture. Born in northern ireland in 1972, maggie ofarrell grew up in wales and scotland and now lives in london. Utterly enthralling, this is yet another dose of maggie ofarrell brilliance. Children need a book which explains how to build resilience t he awardwinning author reveals how she made up the story of the snow angel as a way to calm her daughter. Ofarrell s hamnet, an imagined take on the death of shakespeares son from the bubonic plague, has won the national book critics circle prize for fiction.
The rations at maggie ofarrells disposal are scant but tasty, just the kind of morsels to nourish an empathetic imaginationthis novel is at once about the transfiguration of life into artit is ofarrells extended speculation on how hamnets death might have fueled the creation of one of his fathers greatest playsand at the same. The last line of maggie ofarrells novel is remember me. Shop the latest titles by maggie ofarrell at alibris including hardcovers, paperbacks, 1st editions, and audiobooks from thousands of sellers worldwide. Maggie ofarrell has 30 books on goodreads with 454091 ratings. Her later novel the hand that first held mine won the 2010 costa novel award. Live event and book signing with maggie ofarrell at the globe. She is also the author of the distance between us, which won a somerset maugham award, and the hand that first held mine, which won the 2010 costa novel award, among others. By signing up you enjoy subscriberonly access to the latest news, personalized book picks and special offers, delivered right to your inbox.
In the summer of 1596, an elevenyearold boy, the grandson of a stratforduponavon glovemaker, tries desperately to get medical attention for his twin sister, suddenly. Would you like to hear from us about the latest events, book signings, and special offers. The books featured on this site are aimed primarily at readers aged or above and therefore you must be years or over to sign up to our newsletter. Maggie ofarrell is a british author of contemporary fiction, who was once featured in waterstones 25 authors for the future. Either by signing into your account or linking your membership details before your order is placed. In maggie ofarrells new novel, a film star flees the fame. Live event and book signing with bestselling author maggie ofarrell, introducing the heartstopping story of hamnet the book to look out for in 2020 the times, the observer, the guardian and stylist. Mar 27, 2021 last november she published her first childrens book, where snow angels go, about a girl called sylvie, who, like ofarrell and nina in her 2004 novel the distance between us, suffers a long. Jul 21, 2020 born in northern ireland in 1972, maggie ofarrell grew up in wales and scotland and now lives in london. The winner of the womens prize for fiction 2020 is inspired by the true life story of william. What book would author maggie ofarrell take to a desert.
Nov 01, 2020 maggie s book where snow angels go will be published by walker books on 5 november, price. Please tick this box to indicate that youre or over. A stunning new departure for maggie ofarrells fiction, hamnet is the heartstopping story behind shakespeares most famous play. A standard edition is available here winner of the womens prize for fiction 2020. Maggie ofarrell maggie ofarrell was born in 1972 in coleraine northern ireland. Feb 03, 2021 maggie ofarrell s 2020 novel hamnet brilliantly imagines hamnets short life and his family. In hamlet the play this line is often interpreted as the ghost of dead king hamlet who has been murdered by his brother asking that young hamlet seeks revenge. In truth, shakespeare only plays a supporting role in ofarrell s story, which instead focuses on his wife. To the towns people she is almost a celebrity, a creature of near myth. Maggie ofarrell is the author of seven novels, after youd gone, my lovers lover, the distance between us, which won a. Hamnet is a novel inspired by the son of a famous playwright.
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