Slipstream

Elizabeth Jane Howard

From Shelf: Books read in 2022 by Jessie Thompson, as shared on instagram

A candid and revealing memoir from Elizabeth Jane Howard, the bestselling and lauded author of the Cazalet Chronicles and one of twentieth century Britain's greatest storytellers.

'Her talent seemed so effervescent, so unstoppable, that there was no predicting where it might take her' Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallSlipstream unearths the remarkable life of Elizabeth Jane Howard, one of Britain's most beloved writers. In her riveting memoir, Elizabeth looks back at her eventful life, revealing a story as full of love, passion and betrayal as her novels. After fleeting pursuits as an actress and model, Howard turned to writing, creating masterpieces such as The Beautiful Visit, Falling and her acclaimed Cazalet Chronicles. Her memoir unveils her turbulent marriages, most notably with Kingsley Amis, and her close friendships with some of the greatest writers and thinkers of her era: Laurie Lee, Arthur Koestler and Cecil Day-Lewis, among others. In this memoir, Elizabeth Jane Howard lays bare the slipstream of experience that has comprised her life - in the process, revealing her incredible adventures, wisdom and resilience. 'This is a brave, absorbing and vulnerable book' Guardian