The Boston Globe

Books

Boston.com

book review

‘How It All Began’ by Penelope Lively

The mugging of an elderly mother triggers a surprising chain of events in Penelope Lively’s sparkling and illuminating snapshot of us in our times

By Jane Ciabattari

 |   

  January 15, 2012

The masterful Penelope Lively has traced several decades of social change in England in comic novels that capture the edginess and nuance of human behavior with wit and empathy. In recent work she shifts effortlessly from individual concerns of the moment to insider trading, the migration of workers from Eastern to Western Europe, and other vexing large-scale dilemmas in this “age of austerity.’’ “How It All Began’’, her twentieth work of fiction since 1977, revolves around the role of chance in our lives.

Stay with the story. Get full access to BostonGlobe.com for just 99¢

Unlimited access to BostonGlobe.com for only 99¢ for the first 4 weeks. You can cancel at any time.

  • The FULL story all day: Enjoy all of the high-quality, in-depth journalism in the print edition of the Boston Globe — plus breaking news that's updated 24/7.
  • A truly reader-friendly format: It's online news that looks and reads just like the newspaper — uncluttered, uninterrupted.
  • Breakthrough technology: The responsive design automatically adapts content so it always reads perfectly on the digital device of your choice.
Get started today

Free access for home delivery subscribers.

Just need to link your home delivery account; one easy step.

Link my home delivery account

BostonGlobe.comSubscriber Log In

Contact us for help