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THE FUTURE HOMEMAKERS OF AMERICA
Laurie Graham
This novel is a work of fiction, and all names, characters, events, places and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, names, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
Fourth Estate
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
This edition published by Harper Perennial 2006
Previously published in paperback by Fourth Estate in 2002
First published in Great Britain in 2001
Copyright © Laurie Graham 2001
Laurie Graham asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
Cover illustration © Rachel Ross
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
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Source ISBN: 9780007234073
Ebook Edition © NOVEMBER 2012 ISBN: 9780007393091 Version: 2017-03-30
From the reviews of The Future Homemakers of America:
‘A warm, life-affirming novel that offers its readers pure pleasure’
The Times
‘Graham has a sure-fire comic touch and a wayward invention…Occasionally compared to Alan Bennett, Graham exhibits precisely the same blend of toughness and sentiment’
Guardian
‘Superlative…the writing sparkles from first to last…the detail is delicious…A rich, many-layered portrait of Middle America in the second half of the last century. Where others have heaped scorn on the American Dream, or peddled dewy-eyed optimism, Graham simply tells it like it was – and tells it brilliantly’
Sunday Telegraph
‘Crackles with energy and snappy dialogue…Graham has always been good at catching and compressing how people speak, but here she has pulled off an absolute triumph; the voice of her sassy narrator, the redoubtable Peggy, never falters as she unfolds 40 years of friendship’
Daily Mail
‘An absorbing, funny, lively and sometimes moving story’
Sunday Times
‘A warm, witty and wise novel about female friendship…A feel-good book that can’t help but make you smile’
Hello!
‘A tenacity of voice and a deftly judged lightness of touch have always been Laurie Graham’s strengths as a novelist…a fast-moving and often funny saga’
ALI SMITH, TLS
For my own hardy perennialsBridget, Liz, Rachel, Trish and Vivvy
Contents