Kirjahaku

Owls Do Cry is the first novel of one of New Zealand's most acclaimed classic writers, Janet Frame. Hailed as a masterpiece on first publication in 1957, it is comparable to Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey.

Narrated entirely from the viewpoint of a young insane woman, this novel provides a moving description of the horrific conditions in two New Zealand mental institutions. Published as part of a beautifully designed series to mark the 40th anniversary of the Virago Modern Classics.

'Janet Frame's luminous words are the more precious because they were snatched from the jaws of the disaster of her early life. It is one of the classics of autobiography. She knew that a writer must search her soul in order to say anything that is essential' HILARY MANTEL'Janet Frame is the greatest New Zealand writer. She is utterly herself. Any one of her books could be published today and it would be ground-breaking' ELEANOR CATTONAfter being misdiagnosed with schizophrenia as a young woman, Janet Frame spent several years in psychiatric institutions. She escaped undergoing a lobotomy when it was discovered that she had just won a national literary prize. She then went on to become New Zealand's most acclaimed writer. As she says more than once in this autobiography: 'My writing saved me.'This edition contains all three volumes of Frame's autobiography: To the Is-Land, An Angel at My Table and An Envoy from Mirror City.'One of the most beautiful and moving books I have ever read . . . A masterpiece . . . Janet's autobiography had an enormous effect on me. She struck a blow right to my heart' JANE CAMPION, GUARDIAN 'One of the great autobiographies written in the twentieth century' MICHAEL HOLROYD, SUNDAY TIMES'All my preoccupations as a writer - my notions of home, beauty, madness of sorts and longing - come from her' MEG MASON

'Owls Do Cry remains innovative and relevant' GUARDIAN 'Janet Frame was a unique and troubled soul whose luminous words are the more precious' HILARY MANTEL'Her dark, eloquent song captured my heart ' JANE CAMPIONOwls Do Cry is the story of the Withers family: Francie, soon to leave school to start work at the woollen mills; Toby, whose days are marred by the velvet cloak of epilepsy; Chicks, the baby of the family; and Daphne, whose rich, poetic imagination condemns her to a life in institutions.It is one of the classics of New Zealand literature and has remained in print continuously for fifty years. A fiftieth anniversary edition was published in 2007.Owls Do Cry is Janet Frame's first novel. She describes her idea behind it in the second volume of her autobiography:'Pictures of great treasure in the midst of sadness and waste haunted me and I began to think, in fiction, of a childhood, home life, hospital life, using people known to me as a base for main characters, and inventing minor characters'Regarded by many as one of the best New Zealand novels published, Owls Do Cry forms a loose trilogy with her two subsequent novels, Faces in the Water and The Edge of the Alphabet.

This collection of stories - Janet Frame's first published book - appeared in New Zealand in 1951, while she was confined in a mental hospital. It won the Hubert Church Award, and a threatened brain operation was averted. These stories bring into focus a crucial turning point in her life.

Beneath the seemingly tranquil surface of an old English village lie murder, incest, and mystery. Alwyn Maude, a handsome young man, commits a senseless murder - a horrifying fact that somehow seems quintessentially modern. Alwyn is contrasted against his antiquated father and uncle, revealing the tensions between past and present and the shortcomings of both.

The Edge of the Alphabet is a novel written by Janet Frame. The story follows the life of a young woman named Alice who is struggling to find her place in the world. Alice has always felt like an outsider, and she is constantly searching for something to fill the void in her life.As she navigates through her early adulthood, Alice meets a variety of characters who help shape her perspective on life. She falls in love with a man named Gordon, but their relationship is complicated by his own struggles with mental illness.Throughout the book, Alice grapples with questions of identity, purpose, and belonging. She explores her own creativity through writing, and she begins to find a sense of purpose in her work.The Edge of the Alphabet is a poignant and thought-provoking novel that explores the complexities of human relationships and the search for meaning in life. Janet Frame's writing is both lyrical and insightful, and her characters are richly drawn and deeply human. This book is a must-read for anyone who is looking for a thoughtful and engaging story about the human experience.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

""The Reservoir: Stories and Sketches"" is a collection of short stories and sketches by acclaimed New Zealand author Janet Frame. The book features a diverse range of characters and settings, from a young girl's experiences in a mental institution to a woman's reflections on her life as a writer. Frame's writing is known for its vivid imagery and poetic language, and this collection is no exception. The stories explore themes of identity, memory, and the human experience, and are sure to captivate readers with their depth and emotion. Whether you are a fan of Frame's work or simply enjoy well-crafted short fiction, ""The Reservoir"" is a must-read.Extract From New Yorker, V38, January 12, 1963.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Snowman, Snowman: Fables and Fantasies is a collection of whimsical and imaginative stories written by Janet Frame. The book is filled with charming fables and delightful fantasies that will transport readers to a world of magic and wonder. Each story is centered around a snowman, who serves as a symbol of the fleeting nature of life and the beauty of the winter season. The stories are filled with enchanting characters, from talking animals to mischievous fairies, and are sure to captivate readers of all ages. With its lyrical prose and charming illustrations, Snowman, Snowman is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter's night.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

In A State of Siege, Janet Frame brings her signature playfulness to paint a thrilling psychological portrait. After the death of her invalid mother, Malfred Signal, a retired New Zealand art teacher, leaves her birthplace in the south for a beach cottage on a sub-tropical island in the north. Freed from endless lessons on still life and the dominating presence of her family, she hopes at last to be alone with nature and the ‘room two inches behind the eyes’. But the solitude she has sought mocks her with echoes of her past, when, one stormy night, an intruder pounds ceaselessly and inexplicably on her door. Propulsive yet poignant, A State of Siege is a mesmerizing exploration of the artistic process, of selfhood and loneliness, and of death and its counterpart: the need to survive, to live.

'All I had experienced, all the stories I had read or dreamed came to me the moment I, a stranger, turned the key in the lock of the unknown house.'In a sweltering basement in downtown Baltimore, Mavis Halleton, writer, ventriloquist and gossip, is struggling to write her novel when an unexpected invitation arrives. The Garretts, a couple Mavis has never heard of but who admire her work, are to spend time in Italy and offer the use of their airy home in the Berkeley hills.During her stay, an earthquake hits northern Italy and Mavis, to her surprise, inherits the house. But, surrounded by museum replicas and tasteful imitations, she finds reality itself is on shaky ground.In this highly inventive novel, reality, fiction and dreams are woven together as Janet Frame playfully explores the process of writing fiction.

Narrated entirely from the viewpoint of a young insane woman, this novel provides a moving description of the horrific conditions in two New Zealand mental institutions.

'Frame achieved that supremely difficult task of finding a voice so natural' JANE CAMPION, GUARDIAN'The idea of a new novel by Janet Frame is in itself a delight' MAGGIE O'FARRELL 'She is a singular writer. No one is quite like her' ELEANOR CATTON The Daylight and the Dust is the most comprehensive selection of Janet Frame's stories ever published, taken from the four different collections released during her lifetime and featuring many of her best stories. Written over four decades, they come from her classic prize-winning collection The Lagoon and Other Stories, first published in 1952, right up to the volume You Are Now Entering the Human Heart, published in the 1980s. This new selection also includes five works that have not been collected before. Her themes range from childhood to old age to death and beyond. Within the pages of one book the reader is transported from small town New Zealand to inner-city London, and from realism to fantasy. Janet Frame's versatility dazzles.

This is a novel of exile and return which Janet Frame felt too autobiographical to be published in her lifetime. It is an exquisite work shot through with tenderness and Frame's characteristic self-deprecating humour.

The acclaimed autobiography of one of New Zealand's best-loved writers. Introduced by Jane Campion, who made it into a prize-winning film.