{"product_id":"gaining-ground-by-joan-barfoot","title":"Gaining Ground by Joan Barfoot","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e'An intricately, perfectly mapped journey into self-liberation . . . It will stay with me for the rest of my days' Samantha Harvey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e'A LITERARY SENSATION: THE MUST-READ OF THE SUMMER' (OBSERVER)\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'One of the great novels of the twentieth century . . . Absolutely stunning' Max Porter\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Wildly original . . . Beneath the radical disquiet is a beautiful hymn to the hearts and minds of women' Sarah Hall\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDaughter? A strange word. Is this her? And what will this mean?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoan 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat readers are saying:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo damn extraordinary. This book meant everything to me. An instant all-time favorite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWonderful. So much food for thought. I never re-read books, but this is one of the first I'll make an exception for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA masterpiece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFormat:Paperback \/ softback 304 pages\u003cbr\u003ePublisher:Faber \u0026amp; Faber\u003cbr\u003eImprint:Faber \u0026amp; Faber\u003cbr\u003eEdition:Main\u003cbr\u003eISBN:9780571399888\u003cbr\u003ePublished:30 Jul 2026\u003cbr\u003eClassifications:Classic fiction (pre c 1945)\u003cbr\u003eWeight:260g\u003cbr\u003eDimensions:131 x 198 x 24 (mm)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wave of Nostalgia","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":65388661473629,"sku":null,"price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0934\/8838\/2301\/files\/9780571399888.jpg?v=1785148424","url":"https:\/\/waveofnostalgia.co.uk\/products\/gaining-ground-by-joan-barfoot","provider":"Wave of Nostalgia","version":"1.0","type":"link"}