Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year

Thedayherchildrenleavehome,Evaclimbsintobedandstaysthere.She'shadenough-ofherkids'carelessness,herhusband'sthoughtlessnessandoftheworld'sgeneralindifference.Briancan'tbelievehiswifeisdoingthis.Whoisgoingtomakedinner?Takingitbadly,heringsEva'smother-butshe'sbusyhavingherhairdone.Soheringshismother-sheisn'tsurprised.Eva,shesays,isprobablydrunk.Lethersleepitoff.ButEvawon'tbudge.Shemakesnewfriends-MarkthewindowcleanerandAlexander,averysexyhandyman.ShediscoversBrian'sbeenhavinganaffair.AndEvarealizestoherhorrorthateveryonehasbeentakingherforgranted-includingherself.ThoughEva'srefusaltobehavelikeadutifulwifeandmothersoonupsetseveryonefrommedicalauthoritiestoherneighbourssheinsistsonstayinginbed.Andfromthisoddbutcomfortingplaceshebeginstoseeboththeworldandherselfvery,verydifferently...TheWomanWhoWenttoBedforaYearisafunnyandtouchingnovelaboutwhathappenswhensomeonerefusestobethepersoneveryoneexpectsthemtobe.SueTownsend,Britain'sfunniestwriterforoverthreedecades,haswrittenabrilliantnovelthathilariouslydeconstructsmodernfamilylife.