South Riding: an English landscape

Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, Winifred Holtby's greatest novel was published posthumously Winifred Holtby's masterpiece is a rich evocation of the lives and relationships of the characters of South Riding. Sarah Burton, the fiery young headmistressof the local girls' school; Mrs Beddows, the district's first alderwoman--based on Holtby's own mother; and Robert Carne, the conservative gentleman-farmer locked in a disastrous marriage--with whom the radical Sarah Burton falls in love. Showing how public decisions can mold the individual, this story offers a panoramic and unforgettable view of Yorkshire life.

Winifred Holtby (1898-1935) was a journalist, critic, feminist, pacifist, and novelist. Shirley Williams is a British politician and the author of "Climbing the Bookshelves." She was a member of the Labor Party for 35 years before later becoming leader of the Liberal Democrats. She serves as Professor Emerita of Electoral Politics at Harvard University.