The Mahogany Pod: A Memoir of Endings and Beginnings

(Hardback)

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The Mahogany Pod is a moving portrayal of a joyful love affair that was cut short by a terminal illness after just one exhilarating year and an inspirational account of vulnerability, reconciliation and learning to live fully after loss.

Gorgeous her narrative packs a world of feeling within it, rendering a poignant look at how love can unfold even amid immense loss.Publishers Weekly, starred review

"A work of literature: beautifully written, meticulously structured and heart-rending." Guardian

What if you knew from the beginning how your relationship was going to end

When Jill Hopper first met Arif, they were living in a shared house on the island of Osney in Oxford, on the River Thames. Surrounded by willow trees, birds and reflections, it was an idyllic home. But no sooner had they begun to fall in love than Arif was given the news that he had only a few months to live.

Everyone told Jill to walk away, but she was already in too deep. Years later, Jill rediscovers Arif's parting giftan African seedpodand finally sets out to trace the elusive patterns that shaped their relationship.The Mahogany Podis a tender and vital account of what it means to live, and love, fully.

Reviews

'A work of literature: beautifully written, meticulously structured and heart-rending.' Observer; 'Written in elegant, lucid prose that comes straight from the heart, The Mahogany Pod is a deeply moving and compelling read. Hopper moves deftly between past and present, alternating moments of almost unbearable poignancy with ones of great hope. This is a powerful tribute to human resilience by a talented writer." Frances Hedges, Harper's Bazaar; "A rich and tender book, The Mahogany Pod is a haunting tribute to a life and to a companionship, a testament to the power and beauty of love which transcends death." Horatio Clare; "The Mahogany Pod is a beautiful exploration of love, loss and the grieving process. Jill Hopper forensically dissects a decades-old tragedy to reveal that those we have loved are never truly lost but remain part of us always, and that pain needs to be faced honestly to become bearable. It is a compassionate, heart-breaking, and uplifting description of love. Spell-binding." Catherine Simpson, author of When I Had a Little Sister; "A searingly beautiful memoir of love and loss, grief and joy. In The Mahogany Pod, Jill captures the seeds of the ending contained within every beginning and the beginnings contained within each end." Wyl Menmuir, Booker Prize-nominated author of The Many; "What I love about this affecting and beautifully written memoir is how it examines the long tail of grief, and how bereavement can last a lifetime, even when in the eyes of the world, you have 'moved on'" The Bookseller, Editor's Choice; 'Deeply personal and in places searingly sad but relatable to anyone who has loved and lost ...Perhaps this is the perfect book to read during a pandemic.' Dan Townend, Daily Mirror

Author Bio

Jill Hopper has a background in newspaper journalism and magazine editing. A member of writers collective 26 Characters, she has taken part in projects with the Imperial War Museum, Wildlife Trusts and the Bloomsbury Festival. Jill lives in London with her husband and son. The Mahogany Pod is her first book.