The Photograph

The Photograph is an unflinching and unforgettable story of the many ways the past intrudes upon the present and the present alters the past. When Glyn, a landscape historian, stumbles upon a photograph of his deceased wife, Kath, holding hands with another man, his understanding of the past is “savagely undermined.” Reading the past, uncovering and deciphering its strata, is his stock in trade, but now it is his own personal landscape, and the history of his marriage, that he must reinterpret. He veers from emotional vertigo to an obsessive need to know what kind of woman his wife really was. Why did she have an affair? Did she have other lovers? Was their whole life together a lie? His search takes him back into his life with show more Kath, and her absence becomes the most powerful presence in his life, rising up before him, speaking to him, leading him to discoveries that reveal much more—and much more disturbing truths—about himself than about his wife. Though dead, she is the novel’s most eloquent character, the still center around which the lives of all the other characters begin to swirl. Who was she, this beautiful woman who seemed to draw and hold the gaze of everyone who saw her, who seemed carefree and clearly happy, a burst of color and uncontainable energy?

And why did she have to die so young?

Lively, P. (n.d.). The Photograph by Penelope Lively - Reading Guide: 9780142004425 - PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books. Retrieved from https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/288128/the-photograph-by-penelope-livel.... show less

this is lovely. the writing is excellent - this was my first, but will definitely not be my last, penelope lively - and the character studies are so well drawn. admittedly this is my kind of book: heavy on character and internalities, less so on plot (although there is a definite, concrete one). but there is this beautiful ache that exists with all of these characters, who don't connect with each other at all really, who don't know each other or maybe even allow themselves to be known. there is a loneliness even as they're with each other and together. this book also talks about how something small (or seemingly small) can change your perception of everything. how when that happens, your memories change to reflect this new understanding show more (if understanding is what it is) and how you have to reevaluate everything you thought you knew. so the plot, while thinly written, is quite big and profound, and we learn about it through the characters and how they handle (or don't) this information that comes to them.

beautifully done and written.

this is a book that probably should be read in only a few sittings. i suspect i would have liked it even more had i been able to read it that way; i was unable to give it the time it deserved and took me far too long to read. if i reread it, i expect to rate it even higher next time. show less

Glyn's wife Kath has been dead for some time when he comes across a photo indicating that she had an affair with Nick, her brother-in-law. Glyn is floored by this and tells Elaine, Kath's sister/Nick's wife. The revelation causes repercussions which touch Polly, Nick and Elaine's daughter, and Oliver, who took the photograph. Glyn in particular is forced to revise his mental picture and memories of Kath as he seeks out people from the past to work out if Kath had other affairs.

This was well-written, but suffered from having such a narrow topic. There were chapters from various view points with distinct narrative voices, some of which worked better than others. The novel opens with a chapter from Glyn's perspective, which was pretty show more boring, to be frank. I fully expected later chapters to confirm that he was universally regarded as a bore, but no - he is recalled as vibrant and interesting and in the present he seems to be a good lecturer... The chapters in Polly's voice confused me - sometimes she seemed to be speaking to her mother on the phone, but at other times it was almost as if she was being interviewed. By whom? To what end? No one was remotely likeable, with the possible exception of Mary, who only appeared at the end.

It was sad in a gentle way and so many characters lived lives of such compromise (Oliver, Elaine, Kath herself), but I needed more somehow. show less

Glyn, a historian, is rummaging through a cupboard looking for some old papers when he comes across a photograph of his wife Kath, taken about 20 years earlier. In the photo she is holding hands with another man. Glyn is shaken to the core, but unable to confront Kath because she recently passed away. Seeking the truth, he reaches out to Kath’s sister Elaine, who is also in the photo. Glyn’s discovery ultimately sends shock waves through the family and surfaces long-buried issues. The happy-go-lucky and stunningly attractive Kath’s presence is still very much present; grief is still fresh. As details of Kath’s life are revealed, everyone who loved her is forced to re-examine often seemingly trivial events now infused with new show more meaning.

Penelope Lively is a master at telling a story by showing how the tiniest of details can have a profound effect (for another example of this talent, I recommend How it All Began). No one’s life is as simple as it first appears, least of all Kath’s. I was fascinated by the way Lively gradually revealed connections and entanglements, and the possibility for different outcomes, had other choices been made at various points in time. show less

Glyn, an archaeologist, is going through some papers when he finds an envelope containing a photo of his beautiful deceased wife Kath and her brother-in-law Nick holding hands. He decides to go on an archaeological quest to find out how and why his wife was unfaithful. From there, the chapters of the book reveal how each of the people around her saw Kath (and how they interact with each other): Glyn, Nick, her sister Elaine (a well-respected horticulturalist), Oliver (Nick's partner in their defunct publishing firm), Polly (Nick & Elaine's grown daughter), and Mary Packard, Kath's best friend. No one sees Kath clearly, so consumed with self-interest are they. Kath is so beautiful she becomes invisible, and this ultimately leads to her show more demise. An interesting premise, and a quick and fluent read. show less

Amazing book, because none of the characters are particularly likeable and the entire story is based on the dead woman's photo in an envelope directing someone to destroy it without opening it. That alone compels one to read through wondering who on earth is such an idiot. Burn it if it's such a big secret. Excellent writerly craft, to prompt the reader despite the unlovely characters.

Really enjoyed this. Reminded me a bit of Joanna Trollope but much better writing. The character development is superb and the author very successfully gets you to change your perception of several of the major characters as the story progresses. How well do we really know the person we profess to love? Kath's husband & sister find they didn't know her nearly as well as they thought. I also like the way the author keeps information hidden for quite some time and this results in a much greater impact when it is revealed.