From Deseret News archives:
Lively's 'Making It Up' is intriguing
Penelope Lively is the highly sophisticated and creative British author of some 16 critically acclaimed novels, including "Moon Tiger," winner of the Booker Prize and most recently "The Photograph," a splendid novel about the power of memory as suggested in photographs.
Lively has reached the age when many artists write their memoirs. In "Making It Up," she has actually written the very antithesis of a memoir focusing instead on the imaginary "alternatives" in her own life.
Everyone has asked themselves such questions as "What if I had married someone else? Or chosen another profession? Or lived in a different place?"
In Lively's case, she asks, "What if I hadn't escaped from Cairo, Egypt (her actual birthplace), at the outbreak of World War II?" What would her life have been like had she become pregnant at 18? Is life a question of destiny or merely a series of choices that can propel you in many different directions with different friends, jobs, goals, experiences, education?
As everyone anticipated a German assault on Cairo, questions arose as to what city or country would be best to receive the oppressed. Palestine? Kenya? Aden? Cape Town? South Africa would be an interesting place to see!
Lively didn't really go to Cape Town, but her alternative story takes her character in that direction. Shirley Manners seems a stand-in for Lively a nanny whom everyone calls "Film Star" because she is pretty.
She is on a troop ship, and the stewards in white are really naval officers. There are no deck chairs, and the rooms are too basic and small. There are four beds in each room, "and they'd got a retired teacher from the English School in with them, a bit of an old prune-face, to be honest."
Shirley becomes infatuated with Alan Baker, a medical orderly who is looking forward to a week's leave in South Africa. When he asks Shirley why people call her "Film Star," she blushes. But he thinks a Hollywood type would be covered up with makeup and she isn't. "You're prettier by far!" he tells her.
Comments
- Palin's book tour hits Fort Bragg 2:42 p.m.
- RSL protects 11 players from draft 2:41 p.m.
- Matheson unsure about health bill 2:40 p.m.
- BYU's Lamb, Jorgensen reprimanded 2:38 p.m.
- Mapleton's sewer rate mulled 2:37 p.m.
- Stocks higher on home sales data 2:32 p.m.
- Pitta among Mackey Award finalists 2:31 p.m.
- Five arrested in explosive prank 2:24 p.m.
- Police seek men in home invasion 2:19 p.m.
- For Reid, Dodd, clout cuts both ways 2:09 p.m.
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
213 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
209 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
182 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - BYU records with win
132 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
131 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
103 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
99 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
98
Game Crazy is the nation's second largest video game retailer and they...
Congratulations!!! Awesome game. Thanks for some of the best soccer matches...
Timpview doesnt need to play 5A schools. No one would complain if they went...
No offense to Eric Dodge but who the heck is he?
now that`s crazy,boozers not even quick enough to stay with most 4`s,and you...
Re: Who's next. Thats too funny, i think you meant to say "thanks for the...
Maybe Gov Sanford will quit. I mean, he has 37 ethics complaints against...
just for your information the recent BCS rankings just came out and Utah...
It is already there pal. There is so much traffic on Redwood Road it is very...
Where's my pro-Palin comment??????????? I posted it here (or rather, tried...
To the 1:28 comment, How you get 700,000 plus people having been...



You can be the first to comment on this story.