{"product_id":"9781101565759","title":"How It All Began: A Novel","description":"\u003cb\u003e A vibrant new novel from Penelope Lively-a wry, wise story about  the surprising ways lives intersect. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen Charlotte Rainsford, a retired schoolteacher, is accosted by a  petty thief on a London street, the consequences ripple across the  lives of acquaintances and strangers alike. A marriage unravels after  an illicit love affair is revealed through an errant cell phone  message; a posh yet financially strapped interior designer meets a  business partner who might prove too good to be true; an old-guard  historian tries to recapture his youthful vigor with an ill-conceived  idea for a TV miniseries; and a middle-aged central European immigrant  learns to speak English and reinvents his life with the assistance of  some new friends.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThrough a richly conceived and colorful cast of characters, Penelope  Lively explores the powerful role of chance in people's lives and  deftly illustrates how our paths can be altered irrevocably by someone  we will never even meet. Brought to life in her hallmark graceful prose  and full of keen insights into human nature, \u003ci\u003eHow It All Began\u003c\/i\u003e is  an engaging, contemporary tale that is sure to strike a chord with her  legion of loyal fans as well as new readers. A writer of rare wisdom,  elegance, and humor, Lively is a consummate storyteller whose gifts are  on full display in this masterful work.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47106330132720,"sku":"9781101565759","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781101565759_p0.jpg?v=1763688110","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781101565759","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}