J. B Priestley

The Good Companions (1929) is J.B. Priestley's celebrated novel that captures the charm, humor, and poignancy of ordinary lives transformed through adventure and camaraderie. A richly textured story, it weaves together the lives of disparate individuals who unite under extraordinary circumstances, exploring themes of hope, belonging, and the search for meaning. The narrative follows three main characters: Jess Oakroyd, a disillusioned working-class...

A 5-year-old boy, Ethan, is brought to Casey in the middle of the night after the sudden death of his young mother after a drug overdose. Estranged from her parents, Ethan's mum had been abused by her ex-partner, and began taking drugs to cope. Ethan is obviously lost and bewildered, and regularly wakes up screaming for his mum in the night. He begins to lash out at other kids at school and his behaviour becomes more volatile. When arrangements are...

"In these essays, the well-known English novelist surveys Western letters and, through them, Western man from the 15th century to the present ... American writers have a very minor place in this centuries-long cavalcade." Pub W.