Inventory of a Life Mislaid: An Unreliable Memoir

In "Inventory of a Life Mislaid," Marina Warner's mother, Ilia, travels to London in 1945, leaving her husband behind in the war. She explores cricket and riding but recalls the ease of Cairo during her husband's leave. The 1952 uprising erupts, and the Cairo Fire burns the city. The memoir resurrects the union and unrequited hopes of Warner's parents, intertwining memory with myth and the river Lethe.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 432 pages
\n Publication date: 04 March 2021
\n Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
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Inventory of a Life Mislaid is a luminous memoir that delves into the experiences of a child during the post-war era on the banks of the Nile. Written by Jenny Uglow, the book follows the journey of Marina Warner's mother, Ilia, as she embarks on a solitary trip from southern Italy to London in 1945. Despite her husband, an English colonel, being absent in the war in the East, Ilia sets out to become Mrs. Esmond Warner, an Englishwoman. With her impeccable taste and determination, she immerses herself in the world of cricket and riding, showcasing her courage and fearlessness. However, the reality of a war-ravaged England presents her with challenges, leading her to reminisce about the vibrant life she had in Cairo during her husband's periods of leave from the desert campaign. In Cairo, Ilia and her husband open a bookshop, a branch of W. H. Smiths. However, the growing resistance to foreign interests, particularly British, culminates in the 1952 uprising, resulting in the devastating Cairo Fire.

Through the evocative and imaginative narrative, Uglow powerfully resurrects the fraught union and unrequited hopes of Marina Warner's parents. Memory intertwines richly with myth, with the river Lethe feeling as real as the Nile. Vivid recollections of Cairo swirl with ever-present dreams of a city where Marina Warner's parents, friends, and associates are still restlessly wandering. The book offers a captivating blend of historical detail and speculative elements, creating a vivid portrait of a child's journey and the enduring impact of war on individuals and communities.

\n Weight: 536g\n
Dimension: 146 x 224 x 40 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780008347581\n \n