Social Dimensions in
the Novels of Barbara
Pym,
1949-1963:
The Writer as Hidden
Observer
by Orna
Raz. Published by Mellen Press,
2007.
Description
This
study considers the six novels written by English novelist, Barbara Pym
(1913-1980), between 1949 and 1963, which demonstrate the response of a
specific class of people, represented by her heroines, to the dramatic
social,
cultural and demographic changes that took place in Britain at the time.
Treating
Pym’s 1950s novels as social-historical sources, this work attempts to
analyze
the way in which her portrayals of society, like those of so many other
English
writers, served both as a testimonies and critiques of the times in
which she
lived. The focal point of Pym’s novels was the interaction between the
individual and the community: the Church, the parish or the work place.
Therefore, this book attempts to reconstruct the social world of the
female
protagonists, moving from the public to the private domain, thereby
opening up
Pym’s novels to a new generation of readers.
USA
List Price: $109.95 UK
List Price: £ 69.95 . Contact
www.mellenpress.com to order.
Discounts
are available to members of the Barbara Pym Society. E-mail Orna Raz
at razorna@ hotmail.com
to obtain a discount coupon.