Enid Bagnold was een Britse schrijfster wier werken vaak complexe relaties en karakterpsychologie onderzochten. Haar schrijfstijl kenmerkte zich door beeldende taal en een scherp inzicht in de menselijke natuur. Ze produceerde zowel romans als toneelstukken, waarmee ze een belangrijke stempel drukte op de Britse literatuur.
In mid-twentieth-century England, fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown, determined to turn the unruly horse she wins in a raffle into a champion, learns that she needs more than hard work and dedication to achieve her goal of riding her horse in the Grand National steeplechase. Suggested level: primary, intermediate
"Imagine To the Lighthouse written by Mrs Ramsay expecting her fifth child, and you get something of the spirit of this intense and passionate novel, which is unlike anything else ever written about pregnancy. This is maternity and childbirth twenty years before Sylvia Plath. The eponymous "squire", whose husband is abroad on business, happily awaits the arrival of the Unborn in a country house; sensuous descriptions of her own body, her garden, her greed for food and port wine, and her sharply differentiated children, merge with her thoughts about the new baby, about middle age and pain, about her quarrelling staff, and about the waning of the sexual imperative. The arrival of the midwife, an old and tested friend and a dedicated professional, initiates some extraordinary conversations about babies, gender, vocation and the maternal impulse. The relationship of these two women, as they go through one of the most ordinary yet astonishing rituals of life, is portrayed with a tender affectionate care and a deep respect. This is a very surprising book for its time, for any time." - Margaret Drabble "If a man had a child and he was also a writer we should have heard a lot about it. I wanted The Squire to be exactly as objective as if a man had had a baby." - Enid Bagnold
Exploring expatriate life, this novel intricately portrays the cultural clashes and emotional challenges faced by individuals abroad. The protagonist embarks on a journey of romance and self-discovery, navigating the complexities of identity in a foreign landscape. Bagnold's keen psychological insights enrich the narrative, addressing themes of belonging, alienation, and personal growth. With richly developed characters and an evocative setting, the story resonates deeply, reflecting the universal quest for connection and fulfillment beyond geographical boundaries.