The Trick Is to Keep Breathing

The widely celebrated debut from one of Scotland’s most important authors tells the stark and honest story of a woman struggling to cope with the loss of her lover.

Janice Galloway's inventive, lively first novel is about the grief and breakdown of Joy Stone, who is pushed to the limits of loneliness. After the accidental drowning of her married lover and the death of her mother, the twenty-seven-year-old drama teacher spirals into anguish and self-blame. While the novel paints a portrait of a woman enduring great emotional suffering, it is also a story of warmth and humanity; it's the wit and irony found in moments of despair that prove to be Joy's salvation.

First published in 1989 and often compared to The Bell Jar, the re-release of The Trick Is to Keep Breathing is a modern classic, and a gift to today’s readers.