9780063091016
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Small Pleasures audiobook

  • By: Clare Chambers
  • Narrator: Karen Cass
  • Category: Contemporary Women, Fiction
  • Length: 9 hours 59 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: October 12, 2021
  • Language: English
  • (27842 ratings)
(27842 ratings)
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Small Pleasures Audiobook Summary

In the best tradition of Tessa Hadley, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Ann Patchett–an astonishing, keenly observed period piece about an ordinary British woman in the 1950s whose dutiful life takes a sudden turn into a pitched battle between propriety and unexpected passion.

“With wit and dry humor…quietly affecting in unexpected ways. Chambers’ language is beautiful, achieving what only the most skilled writers can: big pleasure wrought from small details.”–The New York Times

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION

1957: Jean Swinney is a feature writer on a local paper in the southeast suburbs of London. Clever but with limited career opportunities and on the brink of forty, Jean lives a dreary existence that includes caring for her demanding widowed mother, who rarely leaves the house. It’s a small life with little joy and no likelihood of escape.

That all changes when a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth. Jean seizes onto the bizarre story and sets out to discover whether Gretchen is a miracle or a fraud. But the more Jean investigates, the more her life becomes strangely (and not unpleasantly) intertwined with that of the Tilburys, including Gretchen’s gentle and thoughtful husband Howard, who mostly believes his wife, and their quirky and charming daughter Margaret, who becomes a sort of surrogate child for Jean. Gretchen, too, becomes a much-needed friend in an otherwise empty social life.

Jean cannot bring herself to discard what seems like her one chance at happiness, even as the story that she is researching starts to send dark ripples across all their lives…with unimaginable consequences.

Both a mystery and a love story, Small Pleasures is a literary tour-de-force in the style of The Remains of the Day, about conflict between personal fulfillment and duty; a novel that celebrates the beauty and potential for joy in all things plain and unfashionable.

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Small Pleasures Audiobook Narrator

Karen Cass is the narrator of Small Pleasures audiobook that was written by Clare Chambers

About the Author(s) of Small Pleasures

Clare Chambers is the author of Small Pleasures

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Small Pleasures Full Details

Narrator Karen Cass
Length 9 hours 59 minutes
Author Clare Chambers
Category
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date October 12, 2021
ISBN 9780063091016

Subjects

The publisher of the Small Pleasures is HarperAudio. includes the following subjects: The BISAC Subject Code is Contemporary Women, Fiction

Additional info

The publisher of the Small Pleasures is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780063091016.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Lotte

April 04, 2021

Ahh, this would've easily been a 5-star-read if it hadn't been for the ending.

Terrie

October 19, 2021

"Small Pleasures" by Clare Chambers is a story about how quickly and unexpectedly life can change."The journey into love was so effortless and graceful; the journey out such a long and labored climb." ~ Jean Swinney It's 1957 in London's south-east suburbs where 39-year-old Jean Swinney lives with her mother. She's a feature writer with the North Kent Echo, a local newspaper. She's also unlucky at love and has what one might refer to as a liminal life. Day after day, all things in Jean's life remains the same.Change may be in the air though. Gretchen Tilbury has written a letter to the editor of the North Kent Echo in response to a small article buried deep within the pages concerning parthenogenesis titled, "Men No Longer Needed for Reproduction!"Gretchen claims her 10 year old daughter, Margaret to be born without the involvement of a man. The paper is interested in running a story about this and Jean, being the only woman at the table, is assigned with the challenge of investigating Gretchen's claim of a virgin birth. The further the investigation progresses the deeper Jean becomes entwined in the lives of the Tilbury family. Her personal life begins to feel interesting and exciting, and Jean feels different and happier. She's changing!But is Jean truly prepared for the relationships she's creating with Gretchen, Margaret and Gretchen's husband, Howard? Will she be able to cope with how these changes may play out? Good or bad?I love the character of Jean! She's real and painfully human. She deeply cares for Gretchen and her family. She embraces them at the same time she embraces change. The humorous side of this character is my favorite but there seems to be pain lingering deep inside of her. This character has been written with such depth!I enjoyed this story and can visualize these relationships taking place in Mid-Century-Anywhere. The writing is descriptive and visual, yet simple. I loved how the author's writing carried me through the backstories and then into the newness of each relationship. I don't necessarily like how this story ends but isn't that the way of life? $hit happens! I highly recommend!Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House, and author Clare Chambers for a free ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

Elyse

November 17, 2021

Immaculate conception—parthenogenesis—is a hard belief to swallow….yet, the story is based on true events - in 1957….England…before the days of DNA testing…..making this a very real historical fiction novel…— filled with mystery—and love….but also ….the history and setting in rural Kent (a country in South East England- that borders Greater London to the north-west- a setting of both conflict and diplomacy), during the 50’s was enchanting…from the culture, the architecture, the bridges, schools, education, the hospitals, sports, radio, performing arts…..and a place of inspiration where notable authors and artists blossomed. I’ve never been to Kent but I found learning about the community suburban life engaging. [a tad oppressive-a tad conservative-a tad dreadful- a tad charmingly simplistic, and my favorite: “Kent is sometimes known as ‘Garden of England’]. The ‘fantasy-possibility’ …. of a virgin birth was just the tip-of-the-iceberg that gave this story its heartbeat…… …..the wonderfully developed characters especially made my heart flutter and vibrant with ‘small pleasures’. This was my first experience reading Claire Chambers. I’d love to read more of her books (wishing they came in Kindle-download formats)…,as her writing is exactly the type of quiet -beautiful- heartbreaking - powerful type of storytelling I organically connect with ….. so naturally.We meet feature editor of North Kent Echo: Jean Swinney… (age 39)…. ….don’t many woman *s t r e c h* their ‘39’ age …. out a little longer than many other ages?…Jean is single-never married-has no children. Besides working full-time for the local paper - she’s also the springboard for her sickly mother’s demands. Jean seems to have accepted her fate - never loved and a little lonely.But then….Life gets interesting for Jean when a letter arrives from 29-year-old Gretchen Tilbury - (living in Sidcup: southeast London), who believes the birth of her daughter (Margaret, whom we meet at age 10), was born without the help of any man. Jean sets out to be the leading investigating journalist. A friendship grows between Jean and Gretchen.The friendship expands (one of the family).Jean becomes closer Gretchen‘s daughter, Margaret, and husband, Howard. A love story -of sorts - grows…By the end … I felt those tears coming on.Beautiful novel… THE BEST WRITING… filled with visuals, smells, humor, sadness, secrets, sacrifices…and couple of very unexpected turns…Delightfully bittersweet storytelling…..I’ll remember this book for how ‘alive’ the characters felt, friendship and love that grew and the gorgeous atmospheric setting. “GOOD USES FOR SOUR MILK, LINOLEUM OR CLOTH…washed with sour milk comes up brighter than with water. Sour milk also makes a good bleach for discolored white fabrics. Wring out articles in water, place in a bowl and cover with sour milk. Leave for forty-eight hours. Wash thoroughly and the articles will be snow-white”.

Blair

July 09, 2020

Set in 1957, Small Pleasures tells the story of Jean, who works at a local newspaper – the North Kent Echo – as 'features editor, columnist, dogsbody and the only woman at the table'. She receives a strange letter from a woman who claims her 10-year-old daughter was the result of a virgin birth. When she follows the story up, she becomes close to the letter-writer, Gretchen Tilbury, and her family. At first this new friendship is a source of pleasure. In time, it becomes complicated: firstly, Gretchen's claim proves more difficult to debunk than anyone suspected; secondly, Jean develops feelings for Gretchen's husband Howard.When I first read about this book, I was interested. I was drawn in by the beautifully designed cover – a number of Chambers' previous books sound thematically similar to this one, but due to the unremarkable/sentimental covers it's unlikely I'd have ever given any of them a second glance, even if they had crossed my radar. But I also thought Small Pleasures sounded so much like a carbon copy of an Anita Brookner plot (spinster protagonist 'living a limited existence with her truculent mother', the suggestion of a bleak ending) that I wondered how much I would be able to enjoy it.I was both right and wrong. Jean is not an original character type, and it's clear Chambers has taken her cues from writers like Brookner, Barbara Pym and Elizabeth Taylor. Nevertheless, Small Pleasures is captivating (I read it in a day), emotive, and the period detail is immaculate. The 'virgin birth' storyline, which I assumed would simply be a way to bring Jean and the Tilburys together, is actually a key part of the plot and becomes a mystery which Jean tries to solve. Also contrary to my expectations, Jean is allowed a sliver of happiness... Small Pleasures has a heartbreaking ending. I'd put two and two together halfway through, so I knew what was coming, though I still desperately hoped it could be avoided. But no – prepare for tears.I wasn't familiar with Clare Chambers before, but I was really impressed by this book. While there are no showy theatrics on display here, it builds to a quietly devastating denouement, and Jean is a beautifully crafted character.I received an advance review copy of Small Pleasures from the publisher through NetGalley.TinyLetter

Claire

September 01, 2020

Not my usual kind of fiction, but I enjoyed it. I liked the period details (it's set in 1957), and the fine observations of suburban life. It was a real comfort read: a mystery, a love affair, and a bit of nicely understated tragedy. Jean, a journalist, lives with her mother in the suburbs of London, when a woman writes in to Jean's paper that she has had a child by parthenogenesis. Jean sets out to investigate.

Anne

July 15, 2020

It is many many years since I last read a novel by Clare Chambers, it's a long time since she published a book, and as soon as this arrived, I felt a surge of excitement. I love her writing, I think she's a much overlooked author, and look at that cover!I was absolutely entranced by Small Pleasures, from the intriguing prologue, right through to that ending that is so emotional that it felt like I'd been punched in the gut. The writing is seamless, the story is beautifully woven. Not one word is wasted and the characters are so beautifully created that they felt so real, as though they were part of my world, living and breathing beside me.Jean Swinney is a fairly unusual woman of the 1950s. Single and living with her mother who is demanding and difficult, she's a reporter for the North East Echo. Jean holds her own amongst her male colleagues, affording a certain amount of respect from them. Her Editor is particularly fond of her, offering advice and a sympathetic word when needed. When the newspaper receives a letter from Swiss born Gretchen Tilbury; claiming that her ten-year-old daughter Margaret is the result of a virgin birth, the story is given to Jean to follow up.Ever the investigator, and with a charm and empathic nature that puts people at ease, Jean soon finds herself immersed in the life of the Tilbury family. Gretchen's story, whilst quite extraordinary, doesn't appear to be that of a mad woman, or someone looking for attention. Her loving and mild mannered husband Howard does not disbelieve her and their daughter Margaret is intelligent and loving, despit her claims to hear voices of angels from time to time.As Jean becomes closer to all members of the Tilbury family, she discovers that under the gleaming surface, this is a family with many secrets hidden. Jean's continued involvement with the Tilburys can only lead to heartache for her, but sometimes even the most sensible of women allow their heart to rule their head.This author writes magnificently. Her prose is just sublime, from the descriptions of everyday things such as the falling rain and a suburban living room, to the more complicated affairs of heart and emotion, she never puts a word wrong.The reader roots for Jean all the way through this outstanding novel. She's a quirky, sometimes spiky character with a deep rooted sense of right and wrong.The Tilburys; both Gretchen and Howard are wonderfully created, total opposites and both leading lives that are perfect on the surface, yet tarnished with unrequited love and passion. It's a heady mix and the slow, but careful development of the characters is an absolute joy to be part of.The ending of Small Pleasures is one that I will find hard to forget; it is shocking and brings the reader full circle, back to that mysterious prologue, but with such impact and emotional depth. I was reeling after turning the final page.Welcome back Clare Chambers, you have been sorely missed. I can only hope that readers are not kept waiting so long for her next book. Undoubtedly one of my top books of 2020.Wonderful, just wonderful.

Peter

October 13, 2021

Jean Swinney lives quite an uncomplicated life. It's the 1950s and she works as a journalist on the North Kent Echo, writing a weekly column that provides household tips. Now in her late thirties, she takes care of her elderly mother and spends her free time tending to the garden. One day, the newspaper receives a curious letter. A woman named Gretchen Tilbury claims to have had a virgin birth. Jean is intrigued and volunteers to investigate. She visits Gretchen, who makes quite a convincing case. She also meets her beautiful daughter Margaret, and Howard, her mild-mannered husband. The story brings excitement into Jean's world - if something like this could be true, it would make national headlines. But she also becomes close to the Tilbury family, and feelings begin to stir that she long ago given up on. Jean has never been in a romantic relationship and she has made her peace with this. She even manages to convince herself that her average looks are a blessing in disguise: "She had no illusions or anxieties about her own lack of physical beauty; her ordinariness, in fact, grew less irksome with every passing year. It had been dispiriting to be plain at twenty, but by forty it hardly mattered. Time had caught up with most of her prettier contemporaries and those with the most to lose seemed to feel its depredations the hardest." But then love comes into Jean's life, most unexpectedly. I won't mention the subject of her affections for fear of spoilers. But with this person, even before anything has happened between the two of them, she feels: "nothing but warmth and kindness and the certainty of some feeling not yet declared, but even so accepted and returned." However, these feelings frighten her - she's terrified of the pain she will suffer if things don't work out: "She wondered how many years – if ever – it would be before the monster of awakened longing was subdued and she could return to placid acceptance of a limited life. The journey into love was so effortless and graceful; the journey out such a long and laboured climb." This book works on two levels. First there is the mystery of the virgin birth, which is compelling enough in its own right. But then there is Jean's story: the loneliness she tries not to think about, the happiness which has always seemed so far from reach, now tantalizingly close. She's a shy, good-natured person who has resigned herself to a life of solitude, until something miraculous happens. And as long-term singleton myself, I absolutely rooted for her. The ending, I'm not so sure about. I didn't dislike it, but it seemed (view spoiler)[ unnecessarily cruel (hide spoiler)]. Nevertheless, Small Pleasures is a triumph: a compassionate tale of longing and desire, beautifully told.

Carolyn

March 19, 2021

I came to the end of Small Pleasures, read the afterword, and by the acknowledgments I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Set in the 50s, Small Pleasures is about Jean, a 40-year-old journalist who isn’t married, has no children, and lives with—and cares for—her mother. She becomes involved with a family (a mother, her husband and their daughter) who are the subject of a story she’s writing, which ends up changing all their lives forever. There is a proper plot to this story, a mystery even, which is predictable, but that doesn’t matter because the plot isn’t the thing I find most interesting. The beauty of this story is in its quieter details: the questions it probes around the things we’re willing to sacrifice for love and our own happiness; the pleasure and happiness that’s often sacrificed in the name of practicality, morality, or duty; the melancholic but beautiful reality of life with all its ups, downs, disappointments, dissatisfactions, and inevitable tragedies. But, within all of that, there are little moments of wondrous joy, which, in our short, short lives, are nothing short of pure magic. I’ll be bold and say I think Small Pleasures is (quietly) profound.

Indieflower

August 20, 2021

Set in 1957, this tells the story of Jean, a 39 year old newspaper reporter investigating a young woman who claims that her daughter's conception was the result of parthenogenesis, in effect, a virgin birth. I really enjoyed this, the gentle pace, the characters and the wonderful sense of time and place were a joy to read. I loved the feeling of being in another time, and I loved Jean with her stoicism in the face of loneliness and heartbreak, and her wry sense of humour, I really rooted for her. I kind of wish the ending could have been different, but art imitates life, and life really sucks at times. All the feels, 5 stars.

Teresa

June 20, 2021

My favourite book so far this year.This is one of those special novels that achieves a quiet wonder. The wit and the tender observations in this story remind me of the joy of the first time I read Anita Brookner's Hotel du Lac. I don't mean that Small Pleasures is any way derivative; it's not. But it has that same haunting and deeply affecting quality, capturing so perfectly the true ache of what it is to be human.

Patricija || book.duo

May 24, 2022

4.5/5Kas čia buvo? Ne, ne, KAS čia buvo? Kai sakau, kad po šitos knygos pabaigos turėsit susirinkti save, susirankioti širdį po gabaliuką nuo žemės, nusivalyti dulkes ir susidėti atgal per burną, kurioje jau ir taip gumulas, tai neperdedu. Ar tokios pabaigos reikėjo? Nežinau. Nežinau. Bet jaučiuosi tokia kvaila, tokia apgauta, kad nesusigaudžiau, kad mane užliūliavo, lyg burtininkas gatvėje, atliekantis rankų miklumo triukus. O užliūliuojamai čia būti lengva. Taupus, lengvas stilius – ne veltui autorė mylima ir Chevalier, ir Patchett, ne veltui čia Women‘s Prize for Fiction – čia tokia lėtai tiksinti bomba, tokia graži ir estetiška, kad net nepagalvotum, jog yra kam sprogti. Ir čia paslaptis iki pat galo, kuri tampo už nosies tave lyg kvailiuką, o ir įtikina, kad iš tiesų gi visi mes norime kuo nors tikėti ir kuo nors pasitikėti. Ir tikrai ne visada galime pasitikėti net savimi pačiais. Ir kas tada?Autorė rašo taip sklandžiai, kad net absoliučią buitinę kasdienybę pateikia su magišku lengvumu. Ir tikrai, knyga lengva – apie sunkius dalykus, tačiau įgudusio šokėjo žingsniu dėliojant kojas – įtari, kad puantuose sunkiasi kraujas, kad nagai lūžta, raumenys dega, bet žiūrėti vis tiek gražu, jei tik pajėgi užsimiršti. Ji ypatinga, ji nuostabiai Gabrielės Šilobritaitės išversta. Duočiau jai pilnus 5* negailėdama, bet tiesiog nepajėgiu iki galo nuspręsti, ar tokios pabaigos tikrai reikėjo. Bet čia tokie išvystyti veikėjai, toks žodžių baletas, toks atmosferiškumas, taip tobulai kuriama aplinka, laikmetis, jausmas, kad nežinau, kam šios knygos nerekomenduočiau. Gal absoliutiems netikėtojams? Kurie negali, o gal nenori tikėti niekuo? Bet ne, rekomenduoju ir jiems. Jie ras papildomų įrodymų, kodėl tikėti – visiškai neverta. Sakiau gi, kad knyga – magiška.

Charlotte

June 04, 2020

** spoiler alert ** I was really intrigued by the premise of this, as it reminded me of Emma Donaghue’s The Wonder, despite being set at a completely different time frame and location. I really loved the story of Gretchen and Margaret and was really interested in the family but I have to be honest, I started to lose interest as soon as the romance between Jean and Howard began to blossom. I was especially disappointed when this seemed to take over the narrative at the expense of the virgin birth story.I thought the reveal of the father of Gretchen’s child was both a bit unrealistic and also deeply sad. It felt a bit of a “boogie man” - a poor, ill man taking advantage of ill women. I felt more sad about Victor than anything and thought it seemed a bit convenient that this character who we knew nothing about was suddenly the father. However I suppose by that point in the book, the virgin birth story is no longer the focus.However, the ending of this book hit me like a ton of bricks. I was almost shocked to tears. I had no way connected the opening and assumed it was just part of the snippets of journalism throughout the book. I thought the ominous feeling in the switch of perspectives was absolutely brilliantly done. I could sense something awful happening but had no idea what it would be. I also found the Afterword very interesting and illuminating.Overall I enjoyed this book, and felt the ending added gravitas to the sections I didn’t quite enjoy. I just wish the virgin birth story hadn’t disappeared as much under the carpet!

Jules

June 10, 2020

Just a warning that I’m going to include a mild swear word here - what a bloody joy this book was! I finished it last night & knew it was going to have at least 4 stars but it’s still in my head this morning & d’ya know what, it’s definitely worth 5 stars. I can’t stop thinking about it!It’s both wonderful & heartbreaking & really, I can’t say much more, because I don’t want to give anything away. Just...oh I love it! 🧡

emma

September 13, 2022

small pleasures is the novel embodiment of a cosy afternoon in autumn spent under a blanket with a hot chocolate beside you. its 1950s setting and clare chambers’ prose means that warmth is synonymous with the novel, which is fitting considering the novel seemed to seep within me as i read it.we follow jean swinney, a thirty-nine-year-old spinster living with her neurotic widowed mother, who is a features writer for the north kent echo. the newspaper is contacted by a woman, gretchen tilbury, a twenty-nine-year-old mother who believes that her ten-year-old daughter margaret is the product of a virgin birth. to no surprise, as a working woman in the 1950s, jean is the individual chosen to follow up with the story. despite her assumptions and apprehension, she soon becomes enamoured with the tilbury family, entwining within their lives in ways she nor they ever expected, leading to twist after twist, unexpected love, and the ultimate question being answered: can she prove parthenogenesis occurred here?something i loved about this novel was how quietly devastating it was with each twist and added depth to the characters. this in particular corresponds with our titular character joan who we first meet in a state of familiarity with the mundane life she lives - she is a spinster by choice, a working woman at a newspaper writing at a level she is perhaps too good for, looking after her housebound mother who has never forgiven jean’s father for widowing her the way he did. there is a sadness laced with her that quietens due to late-in-life love and the addition of margaret who represents the child she could have had if circumstances had been different, but can only expand within her deeper than before by the ending that tore my heart in two. it is an ending that, going by reviews on here, is divisive but one that adds to the novel’s poignancy - life does not go the way you want it to nor the way that you feel you, or others, deserve it to. love, no matter how long the duration, is a special thing. - 4.5 stars rounded down to 4. had we had an extra chapter or epilogue to the ending that satisfied my needs it would have been a 5-star read. i must know what happens next, which is a credit to chambers.

Katie

September 03, 2022

Small Pleasures is a good reminder that a story doesn't have to be action packed to hold your attention. This glimpse into what it might have been like to be a woman in 1950s England was more than enough to hold my interest. I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking this is a quaint little story because it does incorporate serious subjects. However, despite that there is this offbeat charm to the writing as well.The year is 1957 and Jean Swinney is a features writer for a newspaper in a London suburb. Taking care of her widowed mother leaves no time for a social life. A rather unusual letter is sent to Jean's work by Mrs. Gretchen Tilbury. Gretchen claims her young daughter, Margaret, was not conceived in the uh, usual manner if you know what I'm saying. In fact Gretchen has no idea how she became pregnant. Jean's job will be to prove if Gretchen is a fraud or if Margaret is truly a miracle child.The premise is very weird but they say truth is stranger than fiction. The author was inspired to write the book after learning about a competition back then to find a woman who had magically become pregnant without actually doing the deed. I don't want to say too much and give everything away but the Author's Note is worth reading after you finish the book as it provides great insight into the writing process.Jean is a character you can't help but feel sorry for because had she been born say a half century later, perhaps her life would have been profoundly different. Women's roles in this 1950s time period is a big part of the story. I give the author credit because even though I had a general idea of the direction things were headed there still managed to be some jaw dropping moments.Recommend if you are looking for something a little bit different in the women's fiction genre.Thank you to Custom House and Book Club Girl for sending me a copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.

Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡

August 11, 2021

Longlisted for the Women's Prize of fiction and I can totally see why, it really is quite charming and brilliantly crafted. Initially, I was uncertain about the content of the story arc and questioned how the author would make me buy into aspects of the main protagonist's life but I am so happy to report that the author completely won me over with all aspects of her content. I believed the telling and the naivety of the characters and indeed the naivety of the period in time in which the story is set. I was drawn into and completely invested in the beautifully written, open-ended story. I appreciated being allowed to decide for myself and totally get why it was written that way, although I know some may find that aspect a little irksome. The warmth of the main characters and the intrigue of the unfolding story shone through. Directly after reading the last page, I was compelled to go back and reread the prologue and found it to be so powerful and very moving. I made the ending what I needed it to be and highly recommend this book!A Book Club Read that provided fantastic discussion *

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