A Month in the Country

Synopsis

Still carrying the physical and emotional scars of the First World War and the collapse of his marriage, Tom Birkin arrives in the quiet Yorkshire village of Oxgodby to restore a medieval mural hidden beneath the walls of the local church. As he spends the summer uncovering a centuries-old masterpiece, the rhythms of village life, the beauty of the surrounding countryside, and the quiet companionship of its residents gradually begin to heal wounds he believed would never mend.

Gentle, deeply moving, and exquisitely written, A Month in the Country is a timeless novel about grief, memory, friendship, and the restorative power of art and nature. With remarkable grace and emotional restraint, J. L. Carr captures the fleeting beauty of a single summer and the profound ways it can alter the course of a life.

About the Author

J. L. Carr (1912–1994) was an English novelist, publisher, and educator whose small body of work has earned a devoted readership. A Month in the Country, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1980, is widely regarded as his masterpiece and one of the finest English novels of the twentieth century.

Publisher
New York Review Books Classics

Publication Date
May 31, 2000

Format
Paperback

Pages
144

Subjects
Classics · Literary Fiction · Historical Fiction · British Literature

ISBN
9780940322479