Her short stories have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and magazines and she has also written several awardwinning short films. Jane harris and i having listened to the observations and enjoyed it very much, i had no hesistation in choosing gillespie and i. Harriet baxter is an elderly spinster living in london in the 1930s. As the book opens it is 1933 london, england and elderly harriet baxter begins to record the story of her friendship, 40 years earlier, with the scottish artist ned gillespie. Without a doubt, jane harris is an extraordinarily effective and accomplished author. If you buy the book using that link, i will receive a small commission from the sale.
Her short stories have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and magazines, and she has written several awardwinning short films. Harper collins, james lipman jeff glor talks to jane harris about gillespie and i, a followup to harriss awardwinning novel the observations. Theres a link to her flickr collection of images and paintings which inspired some of gillespies pictures as well as some pictures of the exhibition and glasgow. I downloaded gillespie and i onto my kindle, but having finished reading it i want a physical book to put my on favourite books shelf. As she sits in her bloomsbury home with her two pet birds, elderly harriet baxter sets out to relate the story of her friendship, nearly four decades gone, with ned gillespie a talented artist who took his own life at the age of thirtysix, never having achieved the fame and recognition. The opening of jane harris s clever and entertaining second novel gives little indication of how dark it will become. January 31, 2012 trade paperback, 528 pages as the book opens it is 1933 london, england and elderly harriet baxter begins to record the story of her friendship, 40 years earlier, with the scottish artist ned gillespie.
The opening of jane harriss clever and entertaining second novel gives little indication of how dark it will become. Review of gillespie and i by jane harris by curlygeek04, may 6, 20 i liked gillespie and i, i just didnt love it as much as i expected to. Nov 14, 2019 gillespie and i by jane harris in 2017, our local bookstore chain chapters moved to another location in the city. Jan 05, 2012 gillespie and i, now in paperback, is the eagerly awaited follow up to jane harris s hugely acclaimed debut, the observations. In 2007, she was shortlisted for the british book awards waterstones newcomer of the year and the south bank show times breakthrough award. Gillespie and i international dublin literary award. Jane harris born 1961 is a british writer of fiction and screenplays. After a chance encounter she befriends the gillespie family and soon becomes a fixture in all of their lives. Apr 20, 2012 jane harriss second novel gillespie and i longlisted for the orange prize for fiction in 2012 begins in 1933, when a miss harriet baxter a woman of independent financial means begins writing a memoir of her time in glasgow and, more specifically, her relationship with an artist, ned gillespie, and his family. In 2007, she was shortlisted for the british book awards waterstones newcomer of the year and the. Harriet baxter is a hitherandthither kind of person, capable of getting where she needs to go, even if the mores of the time suggest that a 35yearold woman should not properly be wandering off alone for a sojourn to the magnificent spectacle that was said to bestraddle both banks of the river kelvin. Harriet baxter is an elderly english woman embarking in 1933 upon the memoir of an artist.
All manner of praise to jane harris for creating a character so complex and a story so rich in detail and human drama. Gillespie and i is presented as a memoir by miss harriet baxter, an elderly lady writing in london in 1933. Her debut novel, the observations, was shortlisted for the 2007 orange broadband prize for fiction. As she sits in her bloomsbury home, with her two birds for company, elderly harriet baxter sets out to relate the story of her acquaintance, nearly four decades previously, with ned gillespie, a talented artist who never achieved the fame she maintains he deserved. Jane harris was born in belfast and brought up in glasgow.
Gillespie and i by jane harris in 2017, our local bookstore chain chapters moved to another location in the city. Jane harriss second novel gillespie and i longlisted for the orange prize for fiction in 2012 begins in 1933, when a miss harriet baxter a woman of independent financial means begins writing a memoir of her time in glasgow and, more specifically, her relationship with an artist, ned gillespie, and his family. This book has so much to offer that i believe readers of varying interests will find much to enjoy about gillespie and i. Gillespie and i will certainly be on my list of one of the best books ive read this year. The followup to the observations explores loneliness and obsessive love. Books go search hello select your address best sellers todays deals new releases books electronics gift ideas customer service home. About the author jane harris was born in belfast and brought up in glasgow. This is as delicious a literary treat as they come. Like the observations, gillespie and i is, at heart, a book about loneliness and obsessive love.
Gillespie and i, now in paperback, is the eagerly awaited follow up to jane harriss hugely acclaimed debut, the observations. Theres a saying that when you go on traveling tours, you get to know whom the designated jerk is going to be within three days, and if you. Jan 31, 2012 harper collins, james lipman jeff glor talks to jane harris about gillespie and i, a followup to harris s awardwinning novel the observations. I enjoyed this one even more than the first, but its a challenge to do. In 2000, she received a writers award from the arts council of england. Gillespie and i jane harris a dark and subversive novel. She meets the scottish painter, ned gillespie, and his wife, annie but tragedy is about to strike the gillespies. Gillespie and i is also a novel dominated by its narrator.
If you love strong characterdriven literary psychological mysteries, dont pass this up. Again skillful writing, great character development and a sort of undefinable creepiness makes this a very gripping tale. Jane harris sets her novel gillespie and i at a time when scotland felt it was ready for its closeup. Her most recent work is the novel sugar money which has been shortlisted for several literary prizes. The author captures the vocabulary and rhythms of nineteenth century writing and i really felt transported to that era. Jane harriss gillespie and i appears to be an account of harriets subsequent entanglement with the family of ned gillespie, a struggling painter of some talent, who we learn later killed himself and burnt his canvases. If the observations drew on gothic romance and sensation fiction for its inspiration, gillespie and. From the awardwinning author of the observations comes a beautifully conjured and wickedly sharp tale of art and deception in nineteenthcentury scotland. Gillespie and i by jane harris tlc book tour library. Gillespie and i reminds me of the sensation novels of wilkie collins. Review of gillespie and i by jane harris, plus backstory and other interesting facts about the book.
Theres a link to her flickr collection of images and paintings which inspired some of gillespie s pictures as well as some pictures of the exhibition and glasgow. It is beautifully written in a dignified victorian manner, which initially disguises the undercurrents of the psychology of the main characters. Harriet baxter, a cultured and refined woman approaching her 80th year, sits. Buy this book harriss haunting second novel finds harriet. Feb 11, 2012 gillespie and i is a book i highly recommend to all readers of fiction. Elegant novel of love, loss and redemption among the victorians and caledonians. Gillespie and i, jane harris girl with her head in. Gillespie and i is jane harris second novel to receive both public and critical acclaim. A novel by jane harris harperperennial well, we know something is up from that statement. Back in 1888, the young, artloving harriet arrives in glasgow at the time of the international. On that point, how the victorians managed to reproduce is a subject of mystery.
Jane harris books list of books by author jane harris. Jane harris was born in belfast, northern ireland, and raised in glasgow. Review of gillespie and i by jane harris the book stop. Jane harris was born in belfast and grew up in scotland before moving to england in her 20s. In gillespie and i by jane harris the elderly harriet baxter narrates the story of her friendship with an artist, ned.
Jane harriss gillespie and i presents a strongly voiced female protagonist evocative of moll flanders and becky sharp, who offers a keen sensibility, deeply felt observations, and poignant remembrances of the world of a young artist in turnofthecentury glasgow in this fantastic work of historical fiction. See all books authored by jane harris, including the observations, and gillespie and i, and more on. As she sits in her bloomsbury home, with her two birds for company. Six years after the release of jane harriss debut novel the observations, i still remember the voice of irish servant girl bessy with a clarity i wish i could summon for everything that i read. The protagonist, harriet, is relatable and, at times, even funny. This post contains affiliate links which you can use to purchase the book. Gillespie and i, the second novel by jane harris whose the observations was widely acclaimed is a bravura work, its pace finely controlled, its plot like a rope played out, as taut or slack as dramatic effect requires, its setting so well recreated that the reader could find their way around the glasgow of the 1880s, should the need arise. The end was a bit disappointing but the book is quite good. Gillespie and i as she sits in her bloomsbury home, with her two birds for company, elderly harriet baxter sets out to relate the story of her acquaintance, nearly four decades previously, with ned gillespie, a talented artist who never achieved the fame she maintains he deserved. Her second novel, gillespie and i had attracted plenty of buzz even before being longlisted for the orange prize 2012.
Gillespie and i by jane harris as she sits in her bloomsbury home, with her two birds for company, elderly harriet baxter sets out to relate the story of her acquaintance, nearly four decades previously, with ned gillespie, a talented artist who never achieved the fame she maintains he deserved. The international exhibition of science, art and industry took place in glasgow from may to november in 1888 at kelvingrove park on the banks of the river kelvin image below, left. As she sits in her bloomsbury home, elderly harriet baxter sets out to relate the story of her acquaintance, nearly four decades previously, with ned gillespie, a talented artist who never achieved the fame she maintains he deserved. Even if i asnt able to read the full story gillespie and i by jane harris, an interesting. Gillespie and i is one of those books that i find difficult to talk about because too much information would spoil it. Gillespie and i, by jane harris the washington post. Gillespie and i, published in 2011, is the bestselling second novel by british author jane harris. I often steer away from doorstopper books, but i am so glad i read jane harriss second novel. Jane harris, anna bentinck, whole story audiobooks. His name is gillespie, sir, and hes already married, she tells her stepfather about her newly kindled friendship. All this happens in a short span of pages, at the end of which harris gives us to.
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