Simone in Pieces [Paperback]

Readers first meet Simone Lerrante, a Belgian war orphan, as a child refugee in Sussex, England, her memory damaged by trauma. This novel offers a kaleidoscopic vision of her fractured life and piecemeal understanding of self across multiple points of view. Following her from Cambridge to New York City and across the United States—through a disastrous marriage, thwarted desire, and the purgatory of academic backwaters—the novel charts Simone’s unexpected reconnection with her past, which provides both autonomy and inspiration for her future. Janet Burroway slowly reveals a multifaceted, fascinating protagonist, who observes her own life without always allowing herself to be immersed in it. Spanning seven decades, this story is both epic and contained, rewarding readers at every turn.Janet Burroway, the author ofWriting Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, has written eight previous novels, as well as a memoir, plays, short fiction, children’s books, and more. Recipient of the Florida Humanities Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Writing, she is Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor Emerita at Florida State University at Tallahassee.Transit: Ostend–Dover, 1940/1964
One: Anglo Erotica
1 The Love Song of Johnny A. Purdy, 1944
Transit: London–Hertfordshire, 1946
2 Home Help, 1948/1978
3 Straight Home, 1950
4. Lady Lazarus, 1956
Two: Zoological
Transit: Southampton, England–New York, NY, 1957
5 Oracles, 1958
Transit: Lovelock, Nevada–San Francisco, 1961
6 Animal Crackers, 1956/1963
Three: Missouri Compromise
Transit: District of Columbia–Columbia, MO, 1964
7 Friendly Fire, 1967
Transit: Atlanta–St. Louis, 1971
8 Time Lapse, 1975
Transit: Around and Around, 1976
9 White Space, 1977
Transit: Twickenham, Middlesex–Jepson, MO, 1981
Four: All the Difference
10 Newcomer, 1983
11 Decol³&