{"product_id":"the-country-life-9780312252809","title":"The Country Life","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Notable Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWinner of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003ethe Somerset Maugham Award\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Country Life\u003c\/i\u003e, Rachel Cusk's third novel, is a rich and subtle story about embarrassment, awkwardness, and being alone; about families, or the lack of them; and about love in some peculiar guises. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\"A brilliant oxymoron--a serious farce . . . Cusk's ability to keep us interested in innumerable human collisions is uncanny.\" --\u003ci\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eStella Benson sets off for Hilltop, a tiny Sussex village housing a family that is somewhat larger-than-life. Her hopes for the Maddens may be high, but her station among them--as au pair to their irascible son, Martin--is undeniably low. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhat could possibly have driven her to leave her home, job, and life in London for such rural ignominy? Why has she severed all contact with her parents? And why is she so reluctant to talk about her past?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRachel Cusk\u003c\/b\u003e's debut, \u003ci\u003eSaving Agnes\u003c\/i\u003e, won the Whitbread Prize for Best First Novel in 1993. She lives in Oxford.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Picador USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50543543714066,"sku":"9780312252809","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_bcfe3151-1623-4621-b33d-b3e5327453e1.jpg?v=1731511110","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-country-life-9780312252809","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}