Groundskeeping: 'An extraordinary debut' ANN PATCHETT

Owen has returned to Kentucky to take a job as a groundskeeper at a small college in the Appalachian foothills. He meets Alma, a Writer-in-Residence, who has everything Owen doesn't - a prestigious position, an Ivy League education, and published success as a writer. They begin a secret relationship, and as they grow closer, Alma struggles to understand Owen's fraught relationship with his own family and home. Groundskeeping is a love story about two different people navigating the turbulence of an all-consuming relationship.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 05 January 2023
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Beautifully textured and emotionally rich, "Groundskeeping" by Anne Tyler, translated by Sally Rooney, delves into the complexities of human relationships and the transformative power of love. Set in the picturesque Appalachian foothills, the novel follows Owen, a young man seeking redemption after a tumultuous early adulthood. Seeking a fresh start, Owen takes a job as a groundskeeper at a small college, where he enrolls in their writing course. It is there that he meets Alma, a Writer-in-Residence, who possesses everything Owen lacks: a prestigious position, an Ivy League education, and published success as a writer. Their connection begins as a secret affair, but as they grow closer, Alma, from a supportive and liberal family of Bosnian immigrants, begins to unravel the complexities of Owen's relationship with his own family and home. "Groundskeeping" explores the boundaries between life and art, delving into the ways in which our upbringing shapes the people we become. At its core, the novel is a love story, a tender and poignant portrayal of two individuals navigating the turbulent waters of an all-consuming relationship and the challenges that threaten to ruin it. Through its vivid characters, intricate plot, and profound insights into the human condition, "Groundskeeping" offers a captivating and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of love, family, and identity.

Weight: 368g
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571371082
Edition number: Main