Gaining Ground by Joan Barfoot

'An intricately, perfectly mapped journey into self-liberation . . . It will stay with me for the rest of my days' Samantha Harvey

'A LITERARY SENSATION: THE MUST-READ OF THE SUMMER' (OBSERVER)

'One of the great novels of the twentieth century . . . Absolutely stunning' Max Porter

'Wildly original . . . Beneath the radical disquiet is a beautiful hymn to the hearts and minds of women' Sarah Hall

I swear I loved them all, and I did the best I could. And then I left them, left all of it. Abra has a perfect-seeming life as a wife and mother: until one day, she walks away, leaving only a note asking her family not to look for her.

In a woodland cabin, her new life alone begins. There are no mirrors, no clocks, no memories: just the squirrels breathing in the forest, and silence of vegetables growing. Years later, a young woman arrives, and the past-flashes begin.

Daughter? A strange word. Is this her? And what will this mean?

Joan Barfoot's Gaining Ground is a both a provocative meditation on living on your own terms and an exquisite work of art. It calls to anybody who has ever wanted to escape - who has asked what it costs to be wild, to be sane, to be free.

What readers are saying:

So damn extraordinary. This book meant everything to me. An instant all-time favorite.

I loved reading this book . . . A story of impossible bravery, survival and reconciliation. A beautiful story about a woman who puts her own happiness in life above her maternal duties. One of the most influential novels I have ever read.

Wonderful. So much food for thought. I never re-read books, but this is one of the first I'll make an exception for.

A masterpiece.

Format:Paperback / softback 304 pages
Publisher:Faber & Faber
Imprint:Faber & Faber
Edition:Main
ISBN:9780571399888
Published:30 Jul 2026
Classifications:Classic fiction (pre c 1945)
Weight:260g
Dimensions:131 x 198 x 24 (mm)