Cover of The Beginning of Spring

The Beginning of Spring

Penelope Fitzgerald, 1988

British novelist, 1916–2000. Won the Booker Prize in 1979.

The Beginning of Spring is a 1988 novel by Penelope Fitzgerald. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1988.

  • Critics' Darling

In historical fiction, family saga

On 2 of the 19 lists it was eligible for.

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At a glance

Author
Penelope Fitzgerald
First published
1988
Length
258 pages (UK paperback)
Awards
Genre
Historical fiction, Family saga, Love story

Is The Beginning of Spring worth reading?

2 of the 19 best-of lists it could have made include it: the Booker Prize and The 100 best novels written in English (The Guardian / Observer).

ListPlaceOriginal
Booker Prize (winners and shortlists) (Booker Prize Foundation, 1988)ShortlistSee the list
The 100 best novels written in English (The Guardian / Observer, 2015)ListedSee the list

Best edition of The Beginning of Spring

The edition we link to is the Fourth Estate Ltd paperback (1989), 258 pages.

Publisher
Fourth Estate Ltd (paperback, 1989)
Pages
258
ISBN
9780006543701

How critics, prizes and readers rate The Beginning of Spring

Prize juries rate it most highly: it earned 33% of the points available on prize lists, against 6% on critics' lists and 0% on readers' and booksellers' lists.

Critics
6%
Prizes
33%
Readers and booksellers
0%

Share of the available points it earned on each kind of list it was eligible for. How the scores work

Lists used on this page