CLARE CHAMBERS

A must read for psychotherapists doctors and everyone else who enjoys connecting ideas Philippa Perry Compassionate and challenging warmly human and coolly rigorous I am now thinking afresh about how I live in my own body in a world where as Clare Chambers argues nobody s body is ever allowed to be good enough just as it is Timandra HarknessWhat would it take for your body to be good enough The pressure to change our bodies is overwhelming We strive to defy ageing build our biceps cure our disabilities conceal our quirks Surrounded by filtered photos and surgically enhanced features we must contort our physical selves to prejudiced standards of beauty Perfection is impossible and even an acceptable body seems out of reach In this mind expanding book Cambridge philosopher Clare Chambers argues that the unmodified body is a key political principle While defending our right to change our bodies she argues that the social pressures to modify undermine equality She shows how the connected ideas of the natural body the normal body and the whole body have been used both to disrupt and to maintain social hierarchies sometimes oppressing other times liberating The body becomes a site of political importance a place where hierarchies of sex gen

Outstanding voice in girls fiction. Fifteen-year-old Robyn (the sensible) one and her older sister Rachel (anything but!) arrive in Brighton to spend the summer with their estranged Aunt Jackie, who runs a ballgown hire business from her ramshackle multi-storey home. They have been forced to leave their home in Oxford, where they live with their father, because of threats to their safety, the nature of which only gradually becomes apparent. A perfect summer read and a brilliant study of sisterly devotion and rivalry, coupled with a frisson of mystery and a wonderful dollop of humour.

1957, im Sudwesten von London. Jean Swinney geht auf die Vierzig zu und ist Redakteurin bei einer lokalen Tageszeitung. Von der Liebe enttauscht, lebt sie ein unscheinbares Leben gemeinsam bei ihrer halsstarrigen Mutter. Als eine junge Frau sich bei der Zeitung meldet und behauptet, ihre Tochter sei das Ergebnis einer unbefleckten Empfangnis, wird Jean mit der Erforschung der Angelegenheit beauftragt. Ist Gretchen Tilbury eine Betrugerin, oder hat sich an ihr tatsachlich ein Wunder vollzogen? Je mehr Jean in der Sache recherchiert, desto naher kommt sie Gretchen, deren freundlich-humorvollem Ehemann und ihrer zauberhaften Tochter Margaret. Die erbluhende Freundschaft zu den Tilburys gerat immer mehr in Konflikt mit ihrer Aufgabe als Ermittlerin und bringt alle Beteiligten nach und nach in Bedrangnis. Und doch will Jean die Hoffnung auf ein wenig Gluck nicht aufgeben.

From the bestselling author of SMALL PLEASURES a new novel about love family and the joy of freedom

***Out now: Clare Chamberss new novel Shy Creatures***LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMENS PRIZE FOR FICTIONA BBC 2 BETWEEN THE COVERS BOOK CLUB PICKWonderfulRICHARD OSMANPerfect INDIA KNIGHTBeautifulJESSIE BURTONWitty and sharpDAVID NICHOLLS1957, the suburbs of south east London. Jean Swinney is a journalist on a local paper, trapped in a life of duty and disappointment from which there is no likelihood of escape. When a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, it is down to Jean to discover whether she is a miracle or a fraud. As the investigation turns her quiet life inside out, Jean is suddenly given an unexpected chance at friendship, love and - possibly - happiness.Gorgeous . . . I could not recommend it morePANDORA SYKESRemarkable . . . Small Pleasures is no small pleasureTHE TIMESIrresistible . . . wry, perceptive and quietly devastatingMAIL ON SUNDAY

1957, en las afueras de LondresJean Swinney es redactora de crónicas y reportajes en un periódico local, está desengañada en el amor y, a punto de cumplir los cuarenta, lleva una vida limitada con su malhumorada y demandante madre.Cuando una joven suiza, Gretchen Tilbury, contacta con el periodico afirmando que su hija es fruto de una concepcion virginal, le corresponde a Jean descubrir si se trata de un milagro o de un fraude.Sin embargo, cuanto mas indaga sobre el tema, mas se entrelaza su existencia (de una manera extraña, aunque no desagradable) con la vida de los Tilbury: la propia Gretchen, su marido, Howard, y su encantadora hija Margaret.No obstante, ellos son el centro de los hechos que Jean esta investigando para el periodico; una historia que parece propagar cada vez mas vibraciones oscuras en sus vidas. Y, aun asi, Jean no se atreve a descartar la posibilidad de probar por fin las mieles de la felicidad.Pero habra un precio que pagar, y sera insoportable. El ojo de Chambers para los detalles inexpresivos alcanza una lucidez larkinesca Ambientada en la Gran Bretaña de la posguerra, es una historia llena de compasion y un talante tranquilo.The GuardianPequeños placeres no es un romance delicado, sino una novela convincente sobre el deber y el deseo.Sunday Telegraph

An intense and thrilling teen mystery set on a tranquil island where all seems perfect Daniel has dark secrets and a troubled past. So when his family move to the island of Wragge, a gentle backwater where local life remains undisturbed he feels hes escaped.But outsiders arent always welcome and the more Daniel tries to conceal, the more he reveals about sinister goings on. Does this picture perfect community have something even greater to hide? An explosive thriller that tingles with brooding menace and ignites as the clues fall into place

"A beautiful story of unfolding secrets and unforeseen consequences, filled with moments that are somehow restrained and astute and gorgeously written all at the same time."Holly Gramazio, bestselling author of The Husbands"Infinitely moving, quirky, acutely observed and beautifully written...Confirms Clare Chambers as one of our most talented writers."The GuardianIn this compelling work of historical fiction, an alluring literary mystery full of secrets and lies unfolds when an art teacher at a psychiatric hospital in 1960s England finds her life turned upside down by the arrival of a mysterious patient who has spent decades living in complete isolation with his elderly aunts in a decrepit Victorian house. Perfect for fans of Ann Patchett, Barbara Kingsolver, and Tessa Hadley.In all failed relationships there is a tipping point. It goes unnoticed at the time but can later be identified as the beginning of the decline. For Helen it was the weekend that the Hidden Man came to Westbury ParkThe London suburb of Croydon,1964: Helen Hansford is unmarried and in her thirties. Something of a disappointment to her middle-class parents, shes an art therapist at the Westbury Park psychiatric hospital, where she has been having a forbidden love affair with her colleague Gil, a dashing but married doctor.One spring afternoon they receive a call about a disturbance at a derelict, vine-covered Victorian house a few miles up the road. There the police find a mute, thirty-seven-year-old man called William Tapping, his hair and beard down to his waist. It appears he lives in the old house with his elderly, frail aunt, who expires as soon as shes admitted to the hospital. No one knows why William has been shut away for decades, unseen by neighbors, with only his two now-deceased aunts for company. Westbury Park becomes his refuge.When it emerges that William is not only sane but a talented reclusive artist, Helen comes to see him as something of a personal project. But as she tries to solve the puzzle of the Hidden Mans past, Helens own carefully constructed life of secrets begins to unravel...A gorgeously written and life-affirming novel about lifes delicate layers of experience and connection, Shy Creatures reveals all the different ways we can be confined...and liberated.

From the highly-acclaimed author of SMALL PLEASURES - winner of the 2022 British Book Awards Page-TurnerWithout even noticing, Esther Fairchild has become locked into routine.Living with her adored brother, Christian, she divides her time between illustrating childrens books, nightly shifts as a waitress, weekly visits to her father and fortnightly meetings with her married lover.Then one day she encounters a face in the crowd which jolts her out of her mundane existence and makes her question both her life and the past that has helped to shape it. Memories she had long chosen to forget begin to resurface. Memories of an eccentric childhood in a large and shabby house, where the children were left to fend for themselves within the loose boundaries of their parents unorthodox values. A chaotic existence peopled by a rich collection of feckless guests.And into this shambolic world came Donovan - regularly deposited by his unreliable mother - and Penny, Christians girlfriend and Esthers idol. Until tragedy struck and shattered their joint existence. But now, it seems, their lives are about to become intertwined once more . . .Praise for Clare Chambers:A wonderful novel. I loved itNina Stibbe on Small PleasuresEffortless to read, but every sentence lingers in the mindLissa Evans on Small PleasuresA captivating readWomans OwnAn irresistible novel - wry, perceptive and quietly devastatingMail on Sunday on Small PleasuresShines with an old-fashioned moral certainty that is as subtle and refreshing as it is unexpectedIndependent on SundayAn almost flawlessly written tale of genuine, grown-up romantic anguishThe Sunday Times on Small Pleasures

So charming Marian KeyesFrom the highly-acclaimed author of SMALL PLEASURES - winner of the 2022 British Book Awards Page-TurnerWhen aspiring novelist Christopher Flinders drops out of university to write his masterpiece (in between shifts as a fish delivery man and builders mate), his family is sceptical.But when he is taken up by the London editor Owen Goddard and his charming wife Diana it seems success is just around the corner. Christophers life has so far been rather short of charm - growing up in an unlovely suburb, with unambitious parents and a semi-vagrant brother - and he is captivated by his generous and cultured mentors.However, on the brink of realising his dream, Christopher makes a desperate misjudgement which results in disaster for all involved. Shattered, he withdraws from London and buries himself in rural Yorkshire, embracing a career and a private life marked by mediocrity.Twenty years on, a young academic researching into Owen Goddard seeks him out, and Christopher is forced to exhume his past, setting him on a path to a life-changing discovery.Praise for Clare Chambers:Thoroughly enjoyable and very clever Sunday ExpressEffortless to read, but every sentence lingers in the mindLissa Evans on Small PleasuresBeautifully observed and achingly funny Woman & HomeChambers eye for undemonstrative details achieves a Larkin-esque lucidityGuardian on Small PleasuresReminds us of the rare pleasure that an intelligent tale with a happy ending bringsThe Sunday Times

In the best tradition of Tessa Hadley, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Ann Patchettan 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 TimesLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMENS PRIZE FOR FICTION1957: 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. Its 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 Gretchens 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 liveswith 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.

From the highly-acclaimed author of SMALL PLEASURES - winner of the 2022 British Book Awards Page-TurnerAbigail Jex never expected to see any of the Radley household again.The Radleys were extraordinary, captivating creatures transplanted from a bohemian corner of North London to outer suburbia, and the young Abigail found herself drawn into their magic circle: the eccentric Frances, her new best friend; Frances mother, the liberated, headstrong Lexi; and of course the brilliant, beautiful Rad.Abigail thought she had banished the ghost of her life with them and the catastrophe that ended it, but thirteen years later a chance encounter forces her to acknowledge that the spell is far from broken.______________________________________Praise for Clare Chambers:Modern, intelligently observed and highly original Daily MailThis delicious novel is a joy from beginning to end - just perfect!!Lisa JewellCharming - A funny and moving story with a great deal of style Sunday TelegraphA spirited account of growing up and falling in love Good HousekeepingAn intelligent and escapist read - well written, and very funnyDaily Express

From the highly-acclaimed author of SMALL PLEASURES - WINNER of the 2022 British Book Awards Page-Turner.In 1976, four students took a trip to the desert. Now the repercussions of that fateful summer are coming back to haunt them...And repercussions are exactly what Guy doesnt need. His wife, Jane, is moving swiftly from slightly eccentric to downright peculiar, their three-year-old daughter seems set on destroying Janes sanity, and now even Gods gone quiet on him.As for Nina, she is having enough trouble with her son, James. He has exams looming, a new girlfriend with pneumatic breasts and now, it seems, hes on drugs. Nina certainly will not welcome any ghosts from the past.Life isnt going smoothly for anyone. But when Hugo, long-forgotten agent of misfortune, threatens to pay them all a visit, disaster seems unavoidable. . .____________________Praise for Clare Chambers:Bleak but funny, sharply observed characters and crisp dialogue make this a great readYorkshire PostIntriguing and thought-provokingKatie Fforde A wonderful novel. I loved it!!Nina Stibbe Gorgeous. . . If you are looking for something escapist and bittersweet, I couldnt recommend it more!Pandora Sykes An irresistible novel - wry, perceptive and quietly devastatingMail on SundayChambers eye for undemonstrative details achieves a Larkin-esque lucidityGuardianAn almost flawlessly written tale of genuine, grown-up romantic anguishSunday Times Effortless to read, but every sentence lingers in the mindLissa Evans

From the highly-acclaimed author of SMALL PLEASURES - winner of the 2022 British Book Awards.On the brink of forty, newly single with a failed business, Philip thought he had reached an all-time low. . . It only needed a discarded chip on a South London street to lay him literally flat. So, bedbound and bored, Philip naturally starts to write the story of his life.But between the mundane catalogue of seaside holidays and bodged DIY, broken relationships and unspoken truths, more surprises are revealed - both comic and touching - than Philip or his family ever bargained for. Maybe there will even be a happy ending. __________________Praise for Clare Chambers:A funny book which slips in some acute and painful observations on the sideThe TimesChambers eye for undemonstrative details achieves a Larkin-esque lucidityThe Guardian on Small PleasuresA funny and moving story with a great deal of style!Daily Express

1957, en las afueras de Londres Jean Swinney es redactora de crónicas y reportajes en un periódico local, está desengañada en el amor y, a punto de cumplir los cuarenta, lleva una vida limitada con

From the highly-acclaimed author of SMALL PLEASURES - longlisted for the Womens Prize for Fiction 2021On the brink of forty, newly single with a failed business, Philip thought hed reached an all-time low. It only needed a discarded chip on a South London street to lay him literally flat.

A novel of unexpected second chances set in 1950s England.

Written by Phil Parvin and Clare Chambers, who are current political philosophy lecturers and leading researchers, Political Philosophy - The Essentials is designed to give you everything you need to succeed, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear jargon-free English, and then providing added-value features like summaries of key thinkers, and even lists of questions you might be asked in your seminar or exam. The books structure follows that of most university courses on political philosophy, by looking at the essential concepts within political philosophy (freedom, equality, power, democracy, rights, the state, political obligation), and then looking at the ways in which piolitical philosophers have used these fundamental concepts in order to tackle a range of normative political questions such as whether the state has a responsibility to alleviate inequalities, and what interest liberal and demovratic states should take in the cultural or religious beliefs of citizens. Teach Yourself titles employ the Breakthrough method, which is designed specifically to overcome problems that students face. - Problem: I find it difficult to remember what Ive read.; Solution: this book includes end-of-chapter questions and summaries, - Problem: Most books mention important other sources, but I can never find them in time.; Solution: this book includes key texts and case studies are summarised, complete with fully referenced quotes ready to use in your essay or exam. - Problem: Lots of introductory books turn out to cover totally different topics than my course.; Solution: this book is written by a current university lecturer who understands what students are expected to know.