Penelope Fitzgerald

Penelope Fitzgerald was an English novelist, poet, essayist, and biographer. Born on December 17, 1916, and passing away on April 28, 2000, she was best known for her elegant prose and sharp wit. Fitzgerald launched her literary career later in life, publishing her first novel, 'The Golden Child,' at the age of 60. She gained fame for her novel 'Offshore,' which won the Booker Prize in 1979. Her works often feature themes of human resilience and the struggles of the underdog, and she is celebrated for her concise and evocative storytelling.

Books

This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.

  1. 1. The Blue Flower

    "The Blue Flower" is a historical novel centered around the life of Friedrich von Hardenberg, an 18th-century German poet and philosopher, known as Novalis. The story focuses on his philosophical development and his romantic relationship with a 12-year-old girl, Sophie von Kühn. It explores themes of love, philosophy, and the pursuit of knowledge, all set against the backdrop of the late Enlightenment period in Germany.

  2. 2. The Beginning of Spring

    Set in Moscow in 1913, the book follows the life of an English printer named Frank Reid whose wife has abruptly left him and their three children. As Frank tries to maintain his printing business and look after his children in the midst of the impending Russian Revolution, he also attempts to understand why his wife left and if she will ever return. The novel is a blend of historical fiction and family drama, exploring themes of change, uncertainty, and cultural differences.

  3. 3. At Freddie's

    Set in the world of a struggling 1960s London stage school, the novel centers around the eccentric and indomitable Freddie, who runs the Temple Stage School with a mix of shrewdness and eccentricity. Amidst the backdrop of a harsh winter, the school becomes a microcosm for the larger world of theater, complete with its financial woes and artistic ambitions. The narrative weaves through the lives of the school's staff and young students as they navigate the precarious balance between art and commerce, innocence and cynicism, and the pursuit of fame and the love of the craft, all while Freddie fights to keep her dream and the school afloat in the face of numerous challenges.

  4. 4. Offshore

    "Offshore" is a novel that revolves around a group of eccentrics who live on houseboats on the Thames River in London. The story is set in the 1960s and focuses on the daily lives and struggles of these unconventional characters, including a divorced mother of two, a marine painter, a male prostitute, and a retired navy man. The narrative explores themes of community, isolation, and the struggle to maintain a sense of stability in a constantly changing environment.