New Zealand writer Janet Frame and her sisters 'held the silk purses of words' but were a family steeped in tragedy. The first part of Michael King's biography is about Frame's troubled family life, narrow escape from a lobotomy, and early career. The second half is devoted to her life following success. It calls into serious question the way in which society defines normality and mental health. Known for her reticence, Frame made her personal papers available for this biography.
There are endorsements from Doris Lessing, Michael Holroyd and Geoffrey Moorhouse on the rear panel of the dustwrapper.
