In the course of what is, superficially, an ordinary life, whose dates span the 1920s to the year 2021, Jean Serjeant, a woman of exceptional curiosity, muses on diverse questions, great and small
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What starts off as a quiet novel about a young girl growing up in rural England during World War II turns out to be the story of a full and diverse life. An unusual and likeable heroine, Jean marries conventionally but 20 years later leaves her husband just before the birth of their son, not in a fit of pique but simply because she realizes she should. In middle age, she is befriended by her son's girlfriend, whose attempts to seduce her are in vain; Jean has always preferred "the sleeping part." Finally, at the age of 100, she remembers a young fighter pilot's description of flying up into the sun. Jean has managed to find answers to most of the questions she has considered during her long life, but why the pilot is fascinated by staring at the sun has eluded her until now. This is a gentle novel by the author of the acclaimed Flaubert's Parrot ( LJ 4/1/85). Recommended.Mary K. Prokop, CEL Regional Lib., Savannah, Ga.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Destination, rates & speedsSeller: Gulf Coast Books, Cypress, TX, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Fair. Seller Inventory # 0394558219-4-34335492
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Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Good condition. Good dust jacket. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Seller Inventory # B14K-00372
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Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. 1st American ed. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 501458-6
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Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. 1st American ed. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 12415373-75
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Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.94. Seller Inventory # G0394558219I3N00
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.94. Seller Inventory # G0394558219I3N00
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Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.94. Seller Inventory # G0394558219I4N10
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Seller: Library House Internet Sales, Grand Rapids, OH, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Fair. Jean Serjeant, the heroine of Julian Barnes's wonderfully provocative novel, seems ordinary, but has an extraordinary disdain for wisdom. And as Barnes--author of The Porcupine and Talking It Over--follows her from her childhood in the 1920s to her flight into the sun in the year 2021, he confronts readers with the fruits of her relentless curiosity: pilgrimages to China and the Grand Canyon; a catalog of 1940s sexual euphemisms; and a glimpse of technology in the twenty-first century (when The Absolute Truth can be universally accessed). Solid binding. Moderate edgewear on the boards. Please note the image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item. Book. Seller Inventory # 123638169
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Seller: Redux Books, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Hardcover with dust jacket. Pages are clean and unmarked. Covers show very minor shelving wear. Binding is tight, hinges strong. Dust jacket shows light edge wear.; 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! Ships same or next business day! Seller Inventory # 132409050033
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Seller: Midtown Scholar Bookstore, Harrisburg, PA, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Good. first American edition with promotional material and author photograph Torn/worn dj. Good hardcover with some shelfwear; may have previous owner's name inside. Standard-sized. Seller Inventory # mon0000148963
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