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When the World Was Steady
CLAIRE MESSUD

When the World Was Steady by Claire Messud
9 reviews (1995) (270p)
PEN/Faulkner Award Finalist

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Book Description
In this highly acclaimed novel by the author of The Emperor's Children, life isn't all Emmy and Virginia Simpson might have hoped. When Emmy's marriage to an Australian man ends, she flees her home in Sydney for the tropical paradise of Bali to "find herself"—only to become embroiled with an eclectic crew of international misfits and smugglers. Her sister Virginia, meanwhile, has never wandered far outside of London. Prim and pious, Virginia is struggling to find meaning in her life and her aging mother thinks a visit to the Isle of Skye is just what she needs. On these two islands halfway around the world, the middle-aged sisters confront their lives and their destinies with unexpected consequences.


Amazon.com Review
In a debut novel of remarkable breadth and intimate insight, Claire Messud tells the story of two middle-aged sisters and the divergent life paths chosen by each. On Bali and Skye, two islands as far apart as geography allows, the sisters reassess their place in the world and gingerly find the new bearings that will allow them to renegotiate the circumstances of their lives with newfound acceptance and flexibility. Nominated for the PEN/Faulkner Award.


Other Award Winning Books by Claire Messud
The Burning Girl by Claire Messud
163 reviews (2017) (256p) (LATimes)
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The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
788 reviews (2013) (272p) (Amazon Top100) (NYT100) (WP Top10) (LATimes) (ALA)
Read Reviews | Visit this book's Amazon.com page
The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud
347 reviews (2006) (288p) (NYTimes) (Amazon)
Read Reviews | Visit this book's Amazon.com page
The Hunters by Claire Messud
9 reviews (2001) (192p) (PF)
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The Last Life by Claire Messud
54 reviews (1999) (403p) (Amazon)
Read Reviews | Visit this book's Amazon.com page

Claire Messud Award Stats
Major Prize* Nominations 3  
Unique Books Nominated for a Major Prize* 3  
Pulitzer Prize Wins 0  
Pulitzer Prize Nominations 0  
National Book Critics Circle Award Wins 0  
National Book Critics Circle Award Nominations 0  
National Book Award Wins 0  
National Book Award Nominations 0  
Man Booker Prize Wins 0  
Man Booker Prize Nominations 0  
PEN/Faulkner Award Wins 0  
PEN/Faulkner Award Nominations 2 The Hunters · When the World Was Steady ·  

*Major Prize = Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, National Book Award, Man Booker Prize, and PEN/Faulkner Award

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Pulitzer Prize | National Book Critics Circle Award | National Book Award | PEN/Faulkner Award | Man Booker Prize | Contact