These are the extraordinary memories—both poignant and humorous—of the formative years of an indomitable and endearing woman who was unable to walk as a child and went on to become a widely acclaimed writer. The author's very immobility contributed immensely to the development of her powers of observation and to her empathy for the lives of the people and landscape around her.
Rosemary Sutcliff brings her unusual past to life with honesty, humor, and the vividness she is known for in her fiction. An only child whose father was a naval officer, and whose mother, "who was of the stuff that minstrels are made of," followed him in various postings, finally coming to rest in Devon, where, after a series of painful periods in a hospital, Rosemary Sutcliff trained as a miniature painter.
Brushing over the medical tortures she endured, Miss Sutcliff writes of her unusual childhood, her family, and her friends. The love affair that was to leave a lasting impression on her life had considerable influence on her development as a writer. Blue Remembered Hills is a moving and powerful memoir—a classic of inspirational writing. It should give renewed courage to many people.
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