Shreve s 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuildingthe novel is both tender and harsh shreve s thoughtful, provocative historical tale has modern resonance. She clings to the name stella bain and, after she recovers from her injuries, she decides to become a nurses aide until she figure out who she is or what to do next. May 27, 2014 shreve s 17 th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuildingthe novel is both tender and harsh shreve s thoughtful, provocative historical tale has modern resonance. Stella bain shreve s 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuilding. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A hopeful book about the rebuilding of a life, shreve treats her characters with a tenderness and a gentleness and brings them to life. I only hope anita shreve continues publishing these excellent novels. Anita hale shreve october 7, 1946 march 29, 2018 was an american writer, chiefly known for her novels. Once again, i loved her characters, the historical setting wwi this time. Anita shreve author biography anita shreve grew up in dedham, massachusetts. The book was released on november 12, 20 by little, brown and company.
Shreves thoughtful, provocative historical tale has modern resonance. Anita shreves stella bain an improbable mystery woman. A young woman wakes up with amnesia in a battlefield hospital tent in marne, france, in 1916. Stella bain summary guide book club discussion questions. Shreve s thoughtful, provocative historical tale has modern resonance. Its set during world war one and tells the story of stella bain, an american who volunteers to work in the makeshift hospitals on the battlefields of france. Anita shreve new book the lives of stella bain exclusive. Stella bain is a standalone novel by anita shreve set during world war i. I think she must have liked her character stella bain quite a bit. Ive read most all of anita shreves books over the last few years, and can say that she has been hitting her stride for most of them and hasnt. Mar 06, 2014 anita shreve is an american writer who has written 18 best selling novels.
Jun 20, 2015 the lives of stella bain, published a couple of years ago, is the authors 18th novel. Shreves 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuilding. Stella bain an epic story, set against the backdrop of world war i, from bestselling author anita shreve. Stella bain by anita shreve 2014, paperback for sale.
When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in london, surgeon august bridge and his wife selfless. The book tells a story of a woman whose real name is etna bliss, but she doesnt remember it due to her concussion which turn out to be a hysteria that she got when she ran away from her american husband to london. When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in london, surgeon august bridge and his wife selflessly agree to take her in. Stella is somehow convinced the answers she seeks can. Shreve s 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuilding. The titular character is an american woman wh is found in a garden in london, suffering from a severe case of shell shock.
Anita shreve began writing fiction while working as a high school teacher after graduating from tufts university. Her approimately 20 novels include the pilots wife, the weight of water, eden close, strange fits of passion, where or when, and resistance. When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in london, surgeon august. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading stella bain. Yes, she had amnesia, but im curious why the author titled the book by the characters wrong name. Born october 1945 to a pilot and a homemaker, anita shreve is the best selling author of the critically acclaimed novel, the pilots wife among others. Ambitious in scope, mediocre in execution synopsis. The lives of stella bain, published a couple of years ago, is the authors 18th novel.
Stella bain by anita shreve overdrive rakuten overdrive. An epic story, set against the backdrop of world war i, from bestselling author anita shreve. Stella bain by anita shreve reading guidebook club. She was influenced early on in life by reading ethan frome by edith wharton whilst she was a junior in high school and also anything written by eugene oneill while she as a. Stella bain opens as a young nurses aide regains consciousness in a hospital camp on a french battlefield in the winter of 1916. The opening of this book is a brilliant one, being thrust into the midst of stellas confusion as she wakes with no memory in a first aid station near. I loved the link to a previous book, though the lives of stella bain can perfectly be read without knowing anita shreve s previous books. Nov 06, 20 stella bain is a relatively simple novel that attempts to tackle too many weighty topics, of which shell shock and its physical manifestations are just one example. Anita shreve books list of books by author anita shreve. A young woman wakes up with amnesia in a battlefield. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read stella bain. The title sort of set me off since about 70 pages into the book you learn that stella bain is not her real name. Stella bain shreves 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of love, memory, loss, and rebuilding. If you like anita shreve books, youll love jodi picoult.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the lives of stella bain. From the details of the medical staff working tirelessly on wounded in the war to the fight for her children, i was pulled into etnas life. It follows her struggle to discover who she is and then to reclaim her life. Stellas story also covers abusive marriages, love, friendship, maternal instinct versus the need for independence, gender norms of the 1910s, and more. And the name stella bain bubbles up into her consciousness. She was influenced early on in life by reading ethan frome by edith wharton whilst she was a junior in high school and also anything written by eugene oneill while she as a senior. Stella is somehow convinced the answers she seeks can be. The lives of stella bain ebook written by anita shreve.
In the novel, stella bain, author anita shreve takes us back into the turbulence of world war i, the declining edwardian era, and the gender restrictions imposed on women. There, she becomes an ambulance driver serving during world war i. Experimenting with the new field of psychoanalysis, august strives to restore stella s memory. Nov 12, 20 anita shreves latest characterdriven novel is both a historical glimpse into the side effects of war and a mystery centered on a young womans search for her lost identity. It begins in london, in 1916, when lily bridge, a kind and prosperous matron married to a. The lives of stella bain by anita shreve reading matters. Anita shreve s latest book, stella bain, is a slender novel with a large and complex subject. Shreves 17th novel is a tragic yet hopeful story of. Anita shreve s most popular book is the pilots wife. An epic story, set against the backdrop of world war i, from bestsel. At the admiralty, she is recognized by samuel, an officer there, and her past floods backshe is etna van tassel, not stella bain. The lives of stella bain by anita shreve 9780349123578. Anita shreve s latest characterdriven novel is both a historical glimpse into the side effects of war and a mystery centered on a young womans search for her lost identity. When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe.
This absorbing story is about a young woman who worked as an ambulance driver in france. Coinciding with the first world war centenary, anita shreves latest novel revolves around the enigmatic figure of an american. Nov 27, 20 shreve is best known for her 1998 book, the pilots wife, which rocketed to international bestseller lists after oprah winfrey chose it as one of her book club selections. See all books authored by anita shreve, including the stars are fire, and the pilots wife, and more on. Anita shreves story begins with a woman hospitalized in wartorn france in. Stella bain was full of amusing words, a vast array of pensive quotes, and humor in time of a world of sadness. The reader feels and sees easily what the characters are going through. When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in london, surgeon august bridge. One of her first published stories, past the island, drifting published in 1975, was awarded an o. Stella bain by anita shreve 20, hardcover for sale. Review stella bain by anita shreve thats what she read. A gesture of goodwill turns into something more as bridge quickly develops a clinical interest in his houseguest. When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in.
She draws a series of scenes that provide clues, not least to the fact that she is an accomplished artist. She thinks her name is stella bain, and she thinks she knows how to nurse and drive an ambulance. When an american woman, stella bain, is found suffering from severe shell shock in an exclusive garden in london, surgeon august bridge and his wife self. Stella bain has no memory of her past when she wakes up in a hospital bed in marne, france. Dec 20, 20 anita shreves latest book, stella bain, is a slender novel with a large and complex subject. Ive loved anita shreves books but this was a bit disappointing.
Shreve is best known for her 1998 book, the pilots wife, which rocketed to international bestseller lists after oprah winfrey chose it as one of her book club selections. I loved the link to a previous book, though the lives of stella bain can perfectly be read without knowing anita shreves previous books. Nov 12, 20 an epic story, set against the backdrop of world war i, from bestselling author anita shreve. One day she wakes up in a hospital bed with no memory of who she is or why shes there. With persistence and passion, she saw the book through to its end, an approach that has paid off throughout her 24 years as a novelist. Publishers weekly stella bain has no memory of her past when she wakes up in a hospital bed in marne, france. Stella bain is an american novel by anita shreve, set in world war i. Anita shreves latest book, stella bain, is a slender novel with a large and complex subject. Anita shreve wrote nine drafts of her latest novel, stella bain, before it was published. Anita shreve has 44 books on goodreads with 538231 ratings. Jan 01, 20 an epic story, set against the backdrop of world war i, from bestselling author anita shreve.
Buy a cheap copy of the lives of stella bain book by anita shreve. The daughter of an airline pilot and a homemaker, she graduated from dedham high school in massachusetts, attended tufts. It is 1916, and she wears the uniform of a british war nurse but speaks with an. Stella bain by anita shreve is a historical novel that tells the story of stella bain, a young american woman serving as a volunteer in wwi france who wakes up in hospital one day with no memory of her identity or her past. Experimenting with the new field of psychoanalysis, august strives to restore stellas memory. Anita shreve s stella bain an improbable mystery woman. Nov 12, 20 stella bain ebook written by anita shreve. Stella makes her way to london, and it is there that anita shreves novel, named after the troubled title character, really gains traction.
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