An Angel At My Table (the Complete Autobiography)

By (author) Frame Janet; Introduction by Campion Jane
Short description/annotation
The acclaimed autobiography of one of New Zealand''s best-loved writers. Introduced by Jane Campion, who made it into a prize-winning film.
Description
One of the great autobiographies of the twentieth century ...A journey from luminous childhood, through the dark experiences of supposed madness, to the renewal of her life through writing fiction. It is a heroic story, and told with such engaging tone, humorous perspective and imaginative power'' Michael Holroyd, Sunday Times After being misdiagnosed with schizophrenia as a young woman, Janet Frame spent several years in psychiatric institutions. She escaped undergoing a lobotomy when it was discovered that she had just won a national literary prize. She then went on to become New Zealand''s most acclaimed writer. As she says more than once in this autobiography: ''My writing saved me.'' This edition contains all three volumes of Frame''s autobiography: To the Is-Land, An Angel at My Table and An Envoy from Mirror City. ''One of the most beautiful and moving books I have ever read ...A masterpiece ...Janet''s autobiography had an enormous effect on me. She struck a blow right to my heart'' Jane Campion
Review quote
One of the great autobiographies written in the 20th century ... A journey from lumionous childhood, through the dark experiences of supposed madness, to the renewal of her life through writing ... a heroic story, and told with such engaging tone, humorous perspective and imaginative power
Review quote
One of the most beautiful and moving books I have ever read . . . A masterpiece . . . Janet''s autobiography had an enormous effect on me. She struck a blow right to my heart
Review quote
Irresistibly readable, commendably honest, and, as a lesson in how courage and the will to survive defeated the effects of a ghastly mistake, inspiring
Review quote
Janet Frame''s luminous words are the more precious because they were snatched from the jaws of the disaster of her early life. It is one of the classics of autobiography. She knew that a writer must search her soul in order to say anything that is essential
Review quote
Janet Frame is the greatest New Zealand writer. She is utterly herself. Any one of her books could be published today and it would be ground-breaking
Biographical note
Janet Frame (1924-2004) is New Zealand''s most famous writer. She was a novelist, poet, essayist and short-story writer. Her autobiography inspired Jane Campion''s acclaimed film, ''An Angel at My Table''. She was an honorary foreign member of the American Academy of Arts and Literature and won the Commonwealth Literature Prize. In 1983 she was awarded the CBE.
Promotional headline
*review coverage *featured on the Virago website
Review quote: previous work
One of the great autobiographies written in the 20th century ... A journey from lumionous childhood, through the dark experiences of supposed madness, to the renewal of her life through writing ... a heroic story, and told with such engaging tone, humorous perspective and imaginative power - Michael Holroyd, Sunday Times

One of the most beautiful and moving books I have ever read . . . A masterpiece . . . Janet''s autobiography had an enormous effect on me. She struck a blow right to my heart - Jane Campion

Irresistibly readable, commendably honest, and, as a lesson in how courage and the will to survive defeated the effects of a ghastly mistake, inspiring - Fleur Adcock, Times Literary Supplement

Janet Frame''s luminous words are the more precious because they were snatched from the jaws of the disaster of her early life. It is one of the classics of autobiography. She knew that a writer must search her soul in order to say anything that is essent - Hilary Mantel