Last year The Madhatter Book Club read Cat Brushing, a collection of short stories by Jane Campbell so we are thrilled that Jane joins our line-up for Lit Fest 2024 to talk about her new book Interpretations of Love. Jane's work has been compared to that of Edna O'Brien or Muriel Spark. Stretching from war-torn 1940's Liverpool to Oxford at the end of the century, this story explores the emotional landscape of the time and the impact tiny moments of betrayal can have on our relationships in the years that follow.
Malcolm has held on to a secret for more than fifty years: a letter his sister Sophy gave him just before she died. He had promised to give it to the young doctor she met one night during the Liverpool Blitz: a night that altered the course of her life. But the letter was never delivered. Now, after so many years of uncertainty, Malcolm has decided to share Sophy's secret with her daughter Agnes. It is the day of Agnes's daughter's wedding party. The ghosts of Agnes's past and all the powerful emotions of the family reunion wrap around her thoughts. Until she is distracted by a hand on her arm as her uncle Malcolm holds out an envelope for her to take . . .
Touching on the many different forms love can take and told from multiple perspectives, Interpretations of Love is the story of a letter and our endless search for the stories that we have lost.
Jane Campbell
Sunday 29th September
11.30
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