Nora Webster: A Novel

"Colm Tóibín’s quietly moving quasi-autobiographical novel, set at the beginning of the 1970s in his hometown of Enniscorthy, Ireland, charts his titular character’s brave, incremental steps toward forging a new life for herself after the premature death of her husband, a beloved local schoolteacher. Left with paltry finances, two daughters away at school and two pre-adolescent sons still at home, Nora is forced to return to the dull office job from which marriage liberated her. As always, Tóibín’s tone is subdued, but there’s solace for the reader, as Nora discovers new sources of contentment and strength, including a deepening involvement with classical music."