The women in black : a novel / Madeleine St John.
Record details
- ISBN: 1982134089 : PAP
- ISBN: 9781982134082 : PAP
- ISBN: 9781982134082
- ISBN: 1982134089
- Physical Description: 209 pages ; 22 cm
- Edition: First Scribner trade paperback edition.
- Publisher: New York : Scribner, 2020.
Content descriptions
General Note: | Originally published in Great Britain in 1993 by André Deutsch. |
Summary, etc.: | "The women in black, so named for the black frocks they wear while working at an upscale department store called Goode's, are run off their feet selling ladies' cocktail dresses during the busy season. But in Sydney in the 1950s, there's always time to pursue other goals... Patty, in her mid-thirties, has been working at Goode's for years. She's married to Frank, who eats a steak for dinner every night, watches a few minutes of TV, and then turns in, leaving Patty to her own thoughts. She wants a baby, but Frank is always too tired for that kind of thing. Sweet Fay, wants to settle down with a nice man, but somehow nice men don't see her as marriage material. The glamorous Magda runs the high-end gowns department. A Slovenian émigré who met her Hungarian husband in a refugee camp, Magda is clever and cultured. She finds the Australians to be unfashionable, and dreams of opening her own boutique one day. Lisa, a teenager awaiting the results of her final exams, takes a job at Goode's for the holidays. She wants to go to university and secretly dreams of being a poet, but her father objects to both notions. Magda takes Lisa under her wing, and by the time the last marked-down dress has been sold, all of their lives will be forever changed" -- Amazon.com |
Search for related items by subject
Genre: | Bildungsromans. Novels of manners. |
Available copies
- 11 of 11 copies available at Bibliomation. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Union Free Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 11 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Union Free Public Library | FIC STJ (Text) | 34913148442423 | Adult Fiction | Available | - |
The Women in Black : A Novel
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Summary
The Women in Black : A Novel
"The book I most often give as a gift to cheer people up." --Hilary Mantel "Tart, beguiling, witty and compassionate, Madeleine St. John's novel is a literary boost for the spirits." --Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air "A deceptively smart comic gem." - The New York Times Book Review "Witty and delicious." - People The women in black, so named for the black frocks they wear while working at Goode's department store, are busy selling ladies' dresses during the holiday rush. But they somehow find time to pursue other goals... Patty, in her mid-thirties, has been working at Goode's for years. Her husband, Frank, eats a steak for dinner every night, watches a few minutes of TV, and then turns in. Patty yearns for a baby, but Frank is always too tired for that kind of thing. Sweet, unlucky Fay wants to settle down with a nice man, but somehow nice men don't see her as marriage material. Glamorous Magda runs the high-end gowns department. A Slovenian émigré, Magda is cultured and continental and hopes to open her own boutique one day. Lisa, a clever and shy teenager, takes a job at Goode's during her school break. Lisa wants to go to university and dreams of becoming a poet, but her father objects to both notions. By the time the last marked-down dress is sold, all of their lives will be forever changed. A pitch-perfect comedy of manners set during a pivotal era, and perfect for fans of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel , The Women in Black conjures the energy of a city on the cusp of change and is a testament to the timeless importance of female friendship.