The Albatross (novella)

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The Albatross
AlbatrossAndOtherStories.jpg
First edition (collection)
Author Susan Hill
LanguageEnglish
Genre Social realism [1]
Publisher Hamish Hamilton (collection)
Penguin Books (standalone)
Publication date
Feb 1971 / Nov 2000
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Media typePrint & audio
Pages192 / 96
Awards John Llewellyn Rhys Prize
ISBN 0-241-01976-1 (collection)
ISBN   0-14-029330-2 (standalone)

The Albatross is a novella written by Susan Hill, first appearing in the collection The Albatross and Other Stories published by Hamish Hamilton in 1971. It won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 1972. [2] It appeared as a standalone book published by Penguin Books in 2000. [3] It is studied in GCSE English as an example of the best of modern women's writing. [4]

Contents

Plot introduction

The Albatross centers around Duncan, an intellectually disabled 18-year-old who has grown up with his domineering wheelchair-using mother [1] in Heype, a Suffolk seaside town based on Aldeburgh. [5] Duncan finds it difficult to cope with anything outside his daily routine but is forced to interact with the wider world when his claustrophobic relationship with his mother reaches a breaking point.

Inspiration

The story was partly inspired by local composer Benjamin Britten's opera Peter Grimes . [5]

Publication history

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 The Albatross Summary - Susan Hill - Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition on ENotes Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  2. Freeman, Hadley (18 October 2003). "Cotswold chameleon". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 January 2008.
  3. "Edition details". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
  4. The Albatross - Study Texts S. (Book) by Susan Hill, et al. (1990): Waterstones.com Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  5. 1 2 Author's afterword in the 2000 Penguin edition of the book
  6. The Albatross / Susan Hill. (sound recording) / - Version details - Trove Retrieved 2013-01-02.
  7. www.fantasticfiction.co.uk Retrieved 2012-11-18.