Dorothy
“One evening
when they are sitting quietly together
she breaks the silence
and starts to talk”
Dorothy tells the complete story of a Yorkshire woman, in verse, from her birth early in the last century to her death in the first years of this. Like so many of her generation, she lived a life both ordinary and extraordinary; shaded by grief, troubled by family dynamics, and restricted by the realities of class, location and gender. Hers was a life where survival itself, the simple act of continuing, was a victory to be celebrated – but one where the reminders of why we continue, the blinding moments of sunshine when the clouds part, were that much sweeter because of it.
Tender and insightful, harrowing and uplifting, Dorothy is a stunning act of empathy from a son towards his mother. Her story, told through the author’s assured, unpretentious verse, is both specific and universal enough to resonate with all who encounter it; to challenge some, heal others, and leave a lasting impression on the world Dorothy came to love.
“Startling and tender.” — Poetry Book Society
“I have read nothing like it … a work of near genius.” — James Nash
“One evening
when they are sitting quietly together
she breaks the silence
and starts to talk”
Dorothy tells the complete story of a Yorkshire woman, in verse, from her birth early in the last century to her death in the first years of this. Like so many of her generation, she lived a life both ordinary and extraordinary; shaded by grief, troubled by family dynamics, and restricted by the realities of class, location and gender. Hers was a life where survival itself, the simple act of continuing, was a victory to be celebrated – but one where the reminders of why we continue, the blinding moments of sunshine when the clouds part, were that much sweeter because of it.
Tender and insightful, harrowing and uplifting, Dorothy is a stunning act of empathy from a son towards his mother. Her story, told through the author’s assured, unpretentious verse, is both specific and universal enough to resonate with all who encounter it; to challenge some, heal others, and leave a lasting impression on the world Dorothy came to love.
“Startling and tender.” — Poetry Book Society
“I have read nothing like it … a work of near genius.” — James Nash
“One evening
when they are sitting quietly together
she breaks the silence
and starts to talk”
Dorothy tells the complete story of a Yorkshire woman, in verse, from her birth early in the last century to her death in the first years of this. Like so many of her generation, she lived a life both ordinary and extraordinary; shaded by grief, troubled by family dynamics, and restricted by the realities of class, location and gender. Hers was a life where survival itself, the simple act of continuing, was a victory to be celebrated – but one where the reminders of why we continue, the blinding moments of sunshine when the clouds part, were that much sweeter because of it.
Tender and insightful, harrowing and uplifting, Dorothy is a stunning act of empathy from a son towards his mother. Her story, told through the author’s assured, unpretentious verse, is both specific and universal enough to resonate with all who encounter it; to challenge some, heal others, and leave a lasting impression on the world Dorothy came to love.
“Startling and tender.” — Poetry Book Society
“I have read nothing like it … a work of near genius.” — James Nash
About the Author
Neil Rathmell was born in 1947 and grew up in Yorkshire. He read English at Jesus College, Cambridge. His first novel, The Old School, was published by Faber & Faber in 1976. His short fiction has been published in literary magazines including Ambit, Prole, Popshot and The Penny Dreadful. His plays have been produced by youth theatres and amateur drama groups in the UK, India and the Czech Republic. After a career in education which took him to Cheshire, County Durham and Shropshire, he is now back in Yorkshire enjoying retirement with his wife, Jaspreet.
Vital Statistics
Imprint: Valley Press
Edition: First (May 2023)
Paperback ISBN: 9781915606327
Catalogue number: VP0221
Page count: 240
Trim size: 203x133mm
