It’s been a while since I’ve had occasion to do a “Just Arrived” post — which might be because the TBR pile has gotten somewhat high. All right, very high! 😀

Wifedom however, does come very highly recommended by a friend and fellow reader — and the review quotes on the cover do seem to bear that out. We have an “Electrifying” from Kirkus Reviews, “Brilliant” from The Guardian, and “Spellbinding” from the Financial Times.

Many of you may already have beaten me to reading Wifedom, since it came out in 2023, but for those who haven’t, it’s an exploration of the life of Eileen O’Shaughnessy, who married Eric Blair — better known to most of us by his penname of George Orwell.

In terms of what it’s all about, the title may be self-explanatory, but the back cover offers more:

“Looking for wonder and some reprieve from the everyday, Anna Funder slips into the pages of her hero George Orwell. As she watches him create his writing self, she tries to remember her own…

When she uncovers his forgotten wife, it’s a revelation. Eileen O’Shaughnessy’s literary brilliance shaped Orwell’s work and her practical nous saved his life. But why – and how – was she written out of the story?

Using newly discovered letters from Eileen to her best friend, Funder recreates the Orwells’ marriage, through the Spanish Civil War and WW II in London. As she rolls up the screen concealing Orwell’s private life she is led to question what it takes to be a writer – and what it is to be a wife.

Compelling and utterly original, Wifedom speaks to the unsung work of women everywhere today, while offering a breathtakingly intimate view of one of the most important literary marriages of the 20th century. It is a book that speaks to our present moment as much as it illuminates the past.”

It does sound interesting, and I’m assured it’s as good as the one word reviews above promise. I’m particularly interested in how it’s written as I understand that it’s a mix of biography, creative non-fiction, and some fictional elements.

So watch this space for m’terribly important thoughts — in due course, of course. 😀