Elizabeth Jolley Bücher

Vera, jung, naiv, kommt während des Zweiten Weltkriegs aus ihrem behüteten Elternhaus als Pflegekraft in ein großes Militärhospital. Dort ist sie schmerzhaften Erfahrungen ausgesetzt, die sie überfordern. Mit einem unehelichen Kind kehrt sie nach Hause zurück, aber enttäuschte Erwartungen und das Gerede der Nachbarn lassen ihr Leben unerträglich werden. Sie zieht sich immer mehr in sich selbst zurück. "... Elizabeth Jolley gehört zu einer Handvoll australischer Schriftsteller, von denen man sagen kann: ihre Bücher verändern das eigene Leben." (Washington Post Book World.)

Set in a nursing home, Mr. Scobie battles the oppressive Matron Price while striving to maintain his dignity and dreams. Through music and poetry, he seeks solace, but it is a simple riddle that holds the potential to transform the institution. The narrative explores themes of resistance and the quest for personal dignity amidst dehumanizing circumstances, drawing comparisons to the sharp satire of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

The story centers on Edwin Page, a meticulous professor whose life takes an unexpected turn when he invites his new neighbors, Mrs. Botts and her alluring daughter Leila, into his home. Following his wife Cecilia's departure for a fellowship, Edwin becomes infatuated with Leila, imagining her as an ideal surrogate for Cecilia's unfulfilled motherhood. This darkly comedic narrative explores themes of obsession and the complexities of marriage, offering a subversive take on traditional relationships.

Set against the backdrop of a summer program at Trinity College, the story follows Alma Porch, an aspiring dramatist who takes on the challenge of teaching overweight women. As she navigates a world filled with eccentric staff and students, Alma encounters a mix of indulgence and ambition, where participants seek to transform themselves through the arts. The narrative explores themes of body image, self-acceptance, and the complexities of human desires while Alma directs her play, Foxybaby.

An old cleaning lady, symbolically referred to as the newspaper, grapples with her longing for freedom from the burdens of her past and present life. This new edition revives one of the author's most beloved and unique characters, inviting readers to explore themes of escape and the weight of history.