My Nine Lives: Chapters of a Possible Past

(Paperback, Airside/Export ed)

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Description

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala is a novelist of unequalled insight, grace and emotional power. My Nine Lives represents a new and fascinating strand in her outstanding output canon of work: as she puts it, the 'potentially autobiographical'. In this, her most personal book, she brilliantly explores nine possible lives. While each is located in deeply familiar territory: whether in England, India, or America, and often overlaid with that essential Central European family background, each life is born of startlingly different origins and each reveals a different destiny. Here are nine different answers to the central question: what would happen if I were granted an alternative life

Reviews

Praise for her previous work:

'A writer of genius ... a writer of world class - a master storyteller' - Sunday Times

Reviews

'A very personal book, Jhalbvala attempts nine different answers to the question: What would happen if I were granted a different life - Brighton Argus

Her tussle with India is one of the richest treats of contemporary literature - Guardian

It is this quality of elegant, unfussy writing that mades the book so enjoyable to read. - Student Direct

Jhabvala's writing has a feather-like lightness that the stories are easy to read but are secretly powerful tales. - Scan

Each work has her hallmark of balance, subtlety, wry humor and beauty - New York Times Book Review

'By the end, while she may not fully have revealed herself, she has shown the grand sweep of life.' - Elena Seymenliyska. - The Daily Telegraph

I couldn't put it down when I got started. It's well worth the read and is incredibly well-written. - Scan

Author Bio

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala was born in Germany of Polish parents and came to England in 1939 at the age of twelve. She graduated from Queen Mary College, London University, and married an architect. They lived in Delhi from 1951 to 1975. Since then they have divided their time between Delhi, New York and London.